Is there an official definition?  

Blimey - You're heading for over 2 months with zero rainfall. That's incredible.

Answering my own questiion from earelier:

partial drought

In British climatology, a relative drought period of at least 29 consecutive days during which the average daily rainfall does not exceed 0.01 in.

absolute drought

In British climatology, a drought period of at least 15 days during which no measurable daily precipitation has fallen.

29 days of absolute drought.

40 days of relative drought.

My garden isn’t amused though! 

Of course a single day’s rain is never going to provide the millions of gallons needed to recharge reservoirs in the NW of England, particularly as the surrounding ground is so dry. Interesting to see the remains appearing of flooded villages on the news.

Last appreciable rain here was late May though there’s been a few spots to spoil the clean sheet. Highly droughty but not absolute is the current status.

a lot of rainfall last night here in Burnley, and yes CRT are closing locks on the leeds liverpool canal from the end of July. That could scupper my sailing holiday next month . However as Baldrick said "I have a cunning plan"

Very true, but it's the irony of it that struck me and it's not the first time it's happened either. See also 'interviews with water company officials next to depleted reservoirs being carried out in the pouring rain'. I don't expect the ban it be rescinded because if it.

More rain fell on the 15th July 1976 over SE England than what has been recorded thus far this summer.

The 1893 drought and partial drought spanned what for many areas are typically the driest months of the year, though May can be very different I know.

This year it's through the summer months when the stronger sun brings the caveat that it takes more to keep the showers at bay.

So by that measure it may be the most impressive drought we have on record?

Depends what it takes to impress you I suppose .

30 days and counting with only trace amounts of rainfall here. 47 days with less than 1 mm (which for my own records is considered a reasonable measure of drought at this time of year, given that much of that 1 mm is lost to evaporation).

For what it's worth I will say that for me this drought is more impressive than that in 1976 in its longevity. 1976 was notable as it occurred after a dry winter and with very depleted ground and surface water stocks the situation of course became dire in many places.

Having read those Met office reports on the model thread you can see just how dry this summer is compared to 1976 at least in Dorset and probably many parts of Southern England too. If we had had God forbid a dry winter, I think the situation here this year would be worse than 1976. Taking into account the population increase I believe we would be experiencing at the very least widespread standpipes and greatly reduced industrial output if this dry summer had come after a dry winter.

There have been several notable fires in recent days in Dorset generally barn/grassland/heath arson? events including a barn fire last Monday that covered the Dorchester area in a dense haze so much so I woke at 3am and had a look outside to see if the house was on fire. And we live over four miles from the blaze. 

So to me this summer is now Historic in its dry longevity.

Completely agree. Certainly here in East Anglia things are extremely dry. All the grass is dying off and some trees are now in distress and shedding leaves.

Of course it is important to consider what has gone before, for instance whether the preceding winter was wet or dry. 1976 was severe in terms of the effects of drought simply because the drought was exacerbated by the preceding warm summer and dry winter. Certainly with regard to today, the increased population here in Eastern England compared to 1976 is also a salient point. 

But at the end of the day it is the statistical facts of the meteorological summer months which count. Clearly from June up to today the drought is more severe than 1976. In terms of the CET summer series, or whatever other meteorological series that may be used, this is all we need to look at and focus on in terms of the current severe drought.

The other thing to note is our water usage has increased since 1976.  We had twin tub washing machines and did three or four loads in the same water. Now we have automatic washers and condenser dryers.  We have dishwashers and car washes and it all adds up to a much greater volume of usage that empties reservoirs!  

[edit] ..... and yes, as golfingmad says, our population has increased!

As did this person.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-44869566

Only a few spits and spots of rain yesterday and a few spits today in Exeter - that's it!!!

Yesterday all three of my weather apps were showing rain for me tomorrow.  Now only the BBC app is showing it.  I’ve lost count of the number of times that’s happened this summer.  

Well I'm relieved that the latest output shows the the rain tomorrow associated with the front largely dying before getting here, and the latest Met Office forecast also reflects that, and they now only show light rain in the evening, down from heavy rain. Arome shows less than 0.5mm. Seems to deposit its load over Scotland, NI and Cumbria and then fizzles out.

Relieved?

Yes, very - rain sucks. Keep it well away from here.

Even if the rain doesn't come down to your area we need to see clouds break up and go away than leaving lot of clouds around as i seen before from dying fronts leaving way too much clouds around than active fronts does.  I wonder if we will beat the 73 dry days in Mile end being beaten this year.

Well each to their own I suppose but the plants and animals are desperate for some rain. To me the dying brown vegetation and trees losing leaves in July is not a good sight. I'm also sick of having to water the garden everyday.

Even one of my cats sat outside in the rain for an hour on Monday!

Practically how they do this is what interests me! Also what’s interesting is the blue green algae that is present in these lakes this summer will be sent down to Manchester 😀 🤢🤮