England heat eases as drought concerns deepen in dry regions
Cooling weather is moving in, but East Anglia, London and other dry regions were already in prolonged dry weather as water and food pressures mounted.
A cold front brought cooler, more changeable summer weather across England after another day of record-breaking temperatures in some areas, but the shift offered little immediate relief to drought-hit regions. More typical summer conditions were expected, with some rain and a more unsettled spell likely early in August.
On 28 July, the National Drought Group said England was facing increasing drought pressure after one of the driest and warmest springs on record, with severe impacts on the environment, water supplies and food production. England had the driest spring in 132 years, and the group had met after weeks of heat and dry weather.
By Monday, East Anglia, the West Midlands, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire and London, Wessex, Thames, Solent and the South Downs were all in "Prolonged Dry Weather", the stage before drought. Parts of southern, central and eastern England were close to drought, while Natural Resources Wales moved parts of north Wales and the Upper Severn from "Prolonged Dry Weather" to "Drought" status on 23 July.
By late July, England had already seen three heatwaves. On 1 July, June was the warmest June on record for England and the second-warmest June on record for the UK. The forecast for 29 and 30 July pointed to showery rain in Scotland and Northern Ireland, while most other areas stayed dry and sunny, very hot in the southeast. The longer-range outlook suggested a more changeable beginning to August, with rain possible in western areas and spells of heavy rain later.
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