Can we finally expect rain in Aylesbury Vale this week? Check out our weekly forecast

Can we expect any break in the dry spell this week? Picture: Getty Images

A prolonged dry spell of weather so far this year has resulted in the driest start to the year since the notorious drought of 1976.

On average, England and Wales receives 429mm of rain between January and June, but the same period this year saw just 331mm.

This comes some way ahead of 1976, which saw just 246mm and came on the back of a more prolonged dry spell, but it has prompted water companies to urge caution with our water usage.

At MetDesk HQ in Wendover, just 9mm has fallen in July, with much of this falling in the opening days of the month. This is less than 10 per cent of what we can expect in July.

The lack of rain was exacerbated by the extreme heat we saw a couple of weeks ago, with the hot, dry and windy conditions causing even more evaporation than would be expected. This also helped fires spread.

Thankfully, reservoirs and other water sources that provide our drinking water remain at reasonable levels for the time being, despite the near-drought conditions.

Meanwhile, Wales and northern England have seen substantial rainfall in recent days, which completely bypassed our region.

So, is there any rain expected for the remainder of the week in the Aylesbury Vale?

Sadly, for gardeners and wildlife alike, high pressure will become dominant going into the weekend.

This will result in a continuation of the exceptionally dry summer.