England and Wales provisionally record driest July in nearly 200 years, Met Office says
July 2026 was the driest month in southern England since records began nearly 200 years ago, the Met Office has said.
England and Wales also provisionally recorded their driest July since records began in 1836. Wales had its joint warmest July on record for mean temperature, and England recorded its second warmest July.
The Met Office said the “remarkable conditions” this year came amid a summer marked by multiple heat records.
The heatwaves have been made more intense and more likely by the fossil fuel-driven climate crisis. The heatwave that affected western Europe at the end of June was the most severe and widespread ever.
July was the sixth consecutive month this year to have had above average mean temperatures, with only January so far experiencing mean temperatures below average.
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