By Charlotte Reck, Laura Paddison, CNNLondon (CNN) — England is notoriously rainy — yet an “exceptionally serious” drought has hit half the nation after successive heat waves have parched the land, shrivelled rivers and put huge pressure on water supplies. It’s “an exceptionally serious situation and one that will have long-lasting impacts on our environment, wildlife, and the economy,” she added. But the country, famed for its gloomy skies and persistent rain, is also having to deal with very wet weather. Scientists say the swing between wet and dry extremes — often called “weather whiplash” — is becoming more frequent and intense. “We need long-term planning for water resourcing in the UK,” said Chloe Brimicombe, a climate scientist at the University of Oxford.