England and Wales have provisionally recorded their driest July since records began in 1836. Southern England experienced its driest month ever recorded, with July 2026 being the driest since records began nearly 200 years ago. Additionally, Wales recorded its joint warmest July on record for mean temperature, while England saw its second warmest July.
According to the Met Office, England received just 10 percent of its average July rainfall, totaling 6.5 millimeters, while Wales had 9.3 millimeters. Southern England specifically had just 1 percent of its long-term average rainfall last month, and little rain is expected in the coming week.
Half of England and all of Wales are officially in drought, according to announcements from England’s Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales. This is the third such event in five years and follows four record-breaking heatwaves since May. These conditions, intensified by the climate crisis, have fueled huge wildfires and left farmers, wildlife, and protected habitats running out of water.