Satellite images reveal the impact of this year's long hot summer on the UK landscape. BBC Verify's analysis of satellite data highlights areas most affected by heatwaves and a lack of rain, showing "vegetation stress" where plant, grass, and crop development is severely affected.
Significant changes are visible across Conwy, Flintshire, Denbighshire, and Merseyside, where green fields and grassland have turned light brown. Localised hotspots of stress are also noted around Peterborough, Lincolnshire, and parts of mid and east Devon, with fields appearing browner than a year ago.
Experts warn that the combination of minimal rainfall and prolonged hot weather is likely to cause significant issues for the farming industry, potentially impacting agriculture and food supplies. Dr. Pauline Scheelbeek, an associate professor, suggests this could lead to less British produce and higher prices in supermarkets due to reduced crop yields.
While upland Britain, including much of Scotland's highlands and the Welsh mountains, has remained closer to normal, scientists also caution that the UK faces a growing risk of water shortages in the coming decades. Reservoir storage in England is currently at 75%, which is below the long-term average of 83% for this time of year, though higher than during last year's drought.