A hosepipe ban will remain in force despite forecasts of heavy rain over the coming days, Yorkshire Water has said.
The firm said August would be the seventh consecutive month of below-average rainfall this year, while spring was the driest in 132 years.
The hose ban was put in place in July after only 15cm of rain fell between February and June, less than half of what would be expected in an average year. It could remain in force until winter.
Dave Kaye, director of water at Yorkshire Water, said any upcoming rain was expected to be taken up by plants and parched ground rather than reaching reservoirs.
He said: “Hosepipe restrictions will remain in place until reservoir stocks have recovered – this could extend into the winter – as we are planning for the short-term and to ensure we have adequate supplies heading into the spring and summer of 2026.”
He added the efforts of people reducing their water usage were also “helping to reduce demand and protect the water stocks so everyone will have the water they need”.
The ban means people are not able to use hosepipes for activities including watering the garden, washing cars or filling paddling pools.
Anyone flouting the restrictions could be fined up to £1,000.
The Environment Agency declared a drought across the region in June.
Yorkshire Water said its reservoir stocks were currently at 35.8%, well below the 73.4% average for this time of year.
Groundwater stocks in East Yorkshire were also affected by the summer’s dry weather, the company said.
Friday will see heavy and thundery showers across most parts of Yorkshire, according to BBC Weather.
Over the weekend, there will be outbreaks of rain that have moved in from the South West.
Sunday will be windy, with sunshine and a few passing showers moving in from the West, with Monday looking to remain breezy with occasional showers.