London has seen its first rain in weeks as dark clouds gathered over parts of the capital. There were passing showers between 5:20am and 11:00am in parts of the city on Sunday, following the prolonged dry spell. More are forecast for later in the evening, with AccuWeather predicting a 55 per cent probability of precipitation and an 11 per cent chance of thunderstorms.
Longest Dry Spell Since 2018
London has seen its longest dry spell since 2018, with just 40 per cent of the usual average rainfall for this time of year and the most days at or above 34C since records began. With the exception of a small flurry of showers on July 5, the city has not seen a proper downpour since June 27.
Storm clouds gathered over Barking on Sunday. The dry conditions have turned gardens and parks into tinder-boxes, prompting a spate of wildfires.
Hosepipe Ban Enforced
This week a hosepipe ban was enforced in London following weeks of hot and dry weather. The move was announced by Thames Water and follows a number of similar restrictions in the South-East of England. The hosepipe ban, which came into force at midnight on Friday, affects around 10 million homes in the capital and the surrounding area. It means hosepipes should not be used in gardens, for cleaning cars, filling paddling pools or swimming pools, or cleaning windows.
Heatwave Continues
The sweltering weather is set to continue with heatwave temperatures above 30C forecast in London next week. WX Charts is predicting the hot conditions will reach a peak on Wednesday, July 29. Forecasts suggest the capital will bask in a heatwave throughout the week, with UK temperatures rising as high as 35C. It would mark the fourth heatwave in the city so far this year. A record-breaking May temperature of 35.1C was recorded in Kew Gardens, followed by another hot blast in June, which saw 36C in the capital, and a third lasting 13 days in July.
The new forecast comes as heat alerts were in place across parts of England with officials warning that temperatures were likely to impact on health and wellbeing. The yellow heat health alerts have been issued for London, South East, the East Midlands, East of England, South West and West Midlands.
