Surrey village records 50 consecutive dry days amid heat health alerts
UKPulse Local Desk
Wisley in Surrey has experienced 50 continuous days without rain this summer, as the UK Health Security Agency issues yellow heat health alerts for most of England this weekend.
- Wisley, Surrey, has recorded 50 consecutive days without rain, exceeding its 1976 record of 36 days.
- England and Wales experienced their driest July in 190 years of Met Office records.
- The UKHSA has issued yellow heat health alerts for most of England from Saturday 9:00 BST until Tuesday 11 August 21:00 BST.
A small village in Surrey, Wisley, has now recorded 50 consecutive days without rain this summer. This figure surpasses the 36 continuous dry days seen in the hot summer of 1976, with no rainfall reported since mid-June.
This extended dry spell follows the driest July for England and Wales in 190 years of Met Office records. During July, only 6.5mm of rainfall was recorded in England and 9.3mm in Wales, both less than half of previous records for the nations.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued further yellow heat health alerts for most of England this weekend. These alerts cover the Humber, West and East Midlands, east of England, London, and the South East and South West. The alerts are in effect from 09:00 BST on Saturday until 21:00 on Tuesday 11 August.
Daytime temperatures in the affected areas are expected to rise into the high 20s or low 30s Celsius. The prolonged high pressure systems are cited as the cause of both the lack of rain and the sustained heat.
Why this matters: The extended dry conditions have led to drought declarations in Wales and over half of England, with a water company introducing a hosepipe ban in Essex and Suffolk.
What this means for you: Minor impacts are likely across health and social care services, with an expected increase in healthcare service use by vulnerable people. There is also an increased potential for indoor environments to become very warm, and water-related incidents may rise, including risks from cold water shock and drowning.