England Smashes 51-Day Dry-Spell Records as Drought Deepens After Driest July in 190 Years
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Aug 7
England Smashes 51-Day Dry-Spell Records as Drought Deepens After Driest July in 190 Years
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Aug 7
Summary
Wisley in Surrey has gone 51 straight days without rain and Coningsby in Lincolnshire 42, both breaking their previous local records as drought grips most of England and Wales.
High pressure has dominated since late spring, blocking rain-cloud formation; scattered summer showers have largely missed the hardest-hit areas, leaving little meaningful relief.
The dry run follows the driest July for England and Wales since Met Office records began 190 years ago, while parts of eastern Scotland are also in significant water scarcity.
Forecasts show more heat next week, with highs returning to the high 20s or low 30s Celsius and possibly the mid-30s later, prompting yellow heat-health alerts across large parts of England.
Any drought-breaking recovery likely needs sustained autumn-style rainfall rather than isolated downpours, as rivers, reservoirs and groundwater must recharge while demand stays high.