Yorkshire is now in drought after one of the driest springs on record, the Environment Agency has said.
Yorkshire is now in drought because of declining river flows and ground water levels following one of the driest springs on record.
The Environment Agency (EA) said Yorkshire has moved from "prolonged dry weather" to "drought" status on Thursday.
It follows the declaration of drought for the north west of England at the end of May, which covers Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire, and Cumbria and Lancashire.
The UK saw its hottest spring on record and the driest conditions for decades, putting crops and habitats under pressure and prompting warnings to millions of households that they may face water restrictions this summer.
Claire Barrow, Yorkshire environment, planning and engagement manager at the Environment Agency, said: "Our climate is changing, and we had 22 days of almost no recorded rainfall in May.
"While we have had some rain at the start of June, it has not been enough to reverse the impacts of the prolonged dry weather.
"We are working with Yorkshire Water to make sure they enact their drought plans.
"We also encourage people to be aware of the environmental impacts of droughts as we enter the summer period and note the small steps we can all take to save water."
Water Minister Emma Hardy said: "I am receiving regular updates from the Environment Agency.
"I'm doing everything in my power to hold Yorkshire Water to account to ensure we have the regular supply of water that is needed across the region."
Met Office statistics show that West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, East Yorkshire and South Yorkshire saw just 40%, 43%, 40% and 41% of the average rainfall for March, April and May.
Yorkshire Water warned that water restrictions are possible this summer unless the county sees "significant rainfall" in the coming months.
Dave Kaye, director of water at the utility, said: "We've seen water demand decrease in recent weeks thanks to the welcome rainfall and the efforts of our customers to save water.
"We had one of the driest springs on record, which has impacted our reservoir levels, meaning they are much lower than normal for this time of year.
"Without significant rainfall in the coming months, temporary usage restrictions are a possibility."
Mr Kaye said that the declaration of drought does not immediately change the situation for customers but added that the firm will continue to work closely with the Environment Agency to manage resources carefully and move water around the region to areas that need it most.
"We have 100 additional colleagues tackling leakage in the field and we'd like to thank customers for continuing to report leaks to us so we can repair them as soon as possible," he said.
Scientists have warned that drought conditions will become more intense in the UK with climate change, putting strain on water resources.
Dr Jess Neumann, associate professor of hydrology at the University of Reading, said: "The drought announcement in Yorkshire comes only a few weeks after parts of north-west England declared a drought.
"An unseasonably dry spring, the driest in nearly 90 years means many reservoir levels are only 60-65% full, well below the 80-85% average for this time of year.
"The lack of rainfall is placing significant strain on public water supply, affecting agricultural crop production, and harming wildlife and the environment."
Dr Neumann added that drought status in two large areas of England "raises important questions about the security of our water in the long term".
"It is no longer abundant and plentiful. We urgently need to adjust to a future of climate change and water stress."
While the north west of England and Yorkshire are now in drought, three other areas – the North East, Yorkshire, East and West Midlands – are also experiencing prolonged dry weather.
Last week, officials said reservoir levels across England fell to new lows as the Environment Agency held its latest national drought group meeting of key players.
The group, which met last Thursday morning, heard that without further substantial rain some water companies may need to implement drought measures this summer to conserve supplies, such as hose pipe bans.
