England recorded its driest July since records began in 1836, receiving just 6.5mm of rainfall. This figure represents 10% of the country’s long-term meteorological average for the month. Wales also experienced its driest July on record.
Northern Ireland saw its eighth driest July, while Scotland received 69% of its average rainfall for the month, not setting new records. Southern England has been particularly affected by dry conditions, with some areas, including the Sussex coast, receiving less than 0.2mm of rain in July. This has led to low soil moisture content and enabled temperatures to reach the high 30s Celsius.
Looking ahead, despite notable rain in the north, parts of southern England may only receive isolated showers for the rest of August. Forecast models have previously hinted at more unsettled weather for the south-east, but rain has largely been confined to north-western Britain. The risk of this dry period continuing is not ruled out due to uncertainty in forecast models.