Published : 04 Aug 2026, 03:20 AM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:30 AM
England and Wales experienced their driest July on record, the Met Office said on Monday, citing provisional data.
● The UK — which comprises England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — received just 35 percent of average July rainfall, making it the driest July nationally since 1868.
● Southern England saw its driest month ever recorded in a series dating back to 1836.
● England and Wales also had their sunniest month ever in July.
● Multiple heatwaves have contributed to drought conditions affecting the whole of Wales and around half of England.
● Temperatures have already hit new records for May and June in some parts of the country this year.
● An estimated 2,877 people in Britain have died from heat-related causes so far this year.
● "The combination of record-breaking dryness, exceptional warmth and unprecedented sunshine has delivered one of the most notable summer months in our historical records," Met Office Science Manager Amy Doherty said in a statement.
