Rain is finally forecast for parts of the UK after the driest July in England and Wales since records began, but the Met Office warns that some of the driest areas, particularly in southern England, may still not see a drop.
Record heat and health alerts
Another temperature record tumbled on Monday when the mercury hit 33.5C in Wisley, Surrey, marking the 20th day of 2026 when 32C or higher was recorded in the UK, surpassing the previous record of 19 days set in 1995, according to the Met Office.
In response to the latest heat spike, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued amber heat health alerts for the East Midlands, East of England, South East and London until Wednesday morning. Yellow alerts are also in place for the North West, South West, West Midlands, and Yorkshire and The Humber.
Rain forecast but not everywhere
Outbreaks of rain and showers are expected on Tuesday in Northern Ireland, Scotland, western England and Wales. However, the Met Office predicts a dry day for much of the Midlands, the east and south-east of England, with warm sunshine and high humidity.
Temperatures are set to decrease gradually in the second half of the week, with some more unsettled weather forecast for parts of the UK, including a yellow thunderstorm warning for Northern Ireland. But the South East will continue to see little in the way of desperately needed rain.
Drought impacts and farming concerns
July was southern England’s driest month ever recorded, with the whole of Wales and half of England plunged into drought. Farming leaders have warned it is “one of the most severe droughts many farmers and growers have lived through”, with poor yields, water shortages for fruit and vegetables, and livestock keepers using winter feed.
The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has called for urgent action to secure water supplies for homegrown food production. Met Office figures show that in July, 19 counties across England recorded effectively no rainfall – 1mm or less – across the whole month.
Wildfires and extreme summer
The summer of extreme weather has seen two record-breaking heatwaves in May and June, leading to more than 2,800 excess deaths, and two more in July that have fuelled drought and wildfires.
Firefighters remained at the scene of a heathland blaze in Dunwich, Suffolk, on Monday, while crews declared a major incident as they tackled a huge wildfire in the Rhondda valley in South Wales. Drone footage showed blackened ground and smoke billowing metres into the air over the valley, where South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS) said the fire had affected 150 hectares of land, including forest, scrubland and vegetation.
