England records lowest July rainfall since 1836, Met Office says
Southern England received 1.9mm of rain, while UK-wide excess deaths reached 2,877 amid record heat.
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People walk on a dirt track between dry fields, turned brown from the heat of the sun near Guildford, southwest of London © Peter Nicholls / AFP
Photograph: France24 (embedded from source)
What this story says
- England recorded 6.5mm of rain in July 2026, 10% of the average, the lowest since records began in 1836.
- Southern England received 1.9mm of rainfall, the driest month ever recorded for the region.
- The UK Health Security Agency estimated 2,877 excess deaths due to heatwaves in May and June.
- Renewable energy supplied 14.4% of UK electricity in July, peaking at 44% on 12 July.
England and Wales recorded their driest July since records began in 1836, according to provisional figures from the UK Met Office. England received 6.5mm of rain, about 10% of the average for the month, while Wales recorded 9.3mm. Southern England had its driest month ever, with just 1.9mm of rainfall.
The UK experienced its second-hottest July on record, with excess deaths estimated at 2,877 by the UK Health Security Agency. Wales matched its joint hottest July, with a mean temperature of 17.8°C. The Met Office described the month as "truly remarkable" for its combination of dryness, heat, and sunshine.
Water companies in parts of England and Wales imposed hosepipe bans, affecting 23 million customers. Farmers reported harvests finishing a month early, with yields a third lower than usual. Renewable energy sources supplied 14.4% of UK electricity in July, peaking at 44% on 12 July, according to the reports.
The three centre-rated reports led on the record-breaking dryness and heat. France24 and Rother Radio both quoted Met Office science manager Amy Doherty describing July 2026 as "a truly remarkable month in the UK's climate record". France24 highlighted the impact on wildlife and biodiversity, quoting Greenpeace UK's head of politics Ami McCarthy calling the effects "simply unfathomable".
Rother Radio included the UK Health Security Agency's estimate of 2,877 excess deaths linked to heatwaves in May and June. It also reported that renewable energy supplied 14.4% of UK electricity in July, peaking at 44% on 12 July. The outlet quoted National Farmers' Union president Tom Bradshaw saying harvests were finishing a month early, with yields a third lower than normal.
WTVB's digest, summarising a Reuters report, focused on the Met Office's provisional data confirming the driest July on record for England and Wales. Rhyl Journal's digest noted the exceptional heat and sunshine alongside the dry conditions.
No outlet outside the centre-rated reports covered the story. None of the digests or full reports mentioned the cost of the drought's impact on agriculture or infrastructure, or detailed financial support measures for affected farmers beyond general calls for government action.
How other outlets pictured it
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England and Wales suffer driest July on record in summer of extreme weather
Rother Radio - Rotherham & Sheffield's Best Variety of Hits! — embedded from source
England records lowest July rainfall since 1836, Met Office says
WTVB — embedded from source
Questions about this coverage
- Is the coverage of England records lowest July rainfall since 1836, Met Office says biased?
- England records lowest July rainfall since 1836, Met Office says is one event reported by several outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- How much rain did England receive in July 2026?
- England recorded 6.5mm of rain in July 2026, about 10% of the average for the month. Southern England received just 1.9mm, the lowest amount since records began in 1836. The Met Office confirmed this as the driest July on record for both England and Wales.
- How many excess deaths were linked to the July heatwaves?
- The UK Health Security Agency estimated 2,877 excess deaths in England due to heatwaves in May and June 2026. The agency issued amber health warnings for four regions, including London, as temperatures reached 35°C in early August.
- What impact did the drought have on UK agriculture?
- Farmers reported finishing harvests a month early, with yields a third lower than usual. The National Farmers' Union president said this was "unthinkable" compared to a decade ago. Livestock were already being fed winter feed due to the dry conditions.
- Which outlets reported on the July 2026 drought?
- The story was covered by three centre-rated outlets: France24, Rother Radio, and WTVB (via a Reuters digest). Rhyl Journal also carried a digest. No left- or right-rated outlets ran the story, according to the reports available.
Read it at the source
7 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
0No outlet in this group ran the story.
Centre
4- England, Wales had driest July on record: Met Office (opens France24 in a new tab)
- England and Wales record driest-ever July (opens WTVB in a new tab)
- England and Wales suffer driest July on record in summer of extreme weather (opens rhyljournal.co.uk in a new tab)
rhyljournal.co.uk — is rhyljournal.co.uk biased? Our profile of this outlet
- England, Wales had driest July on record: Met Office (opens Radio France Internationale in a new tab)
Radio France Internationale — is Radio France Internationale biased? Our profile of this outlet
Right
1Not rated
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