East Anglia Climate – July 2026 Update
City Coverage: Norwich, Cambridge, Ipswich, Peterborough, Colchester, and Chelmsford
Summary
East Anglia experienced an extraordinary spell of weather as May through July 2026 became the region's warmest three-month start to summer on record, capped by an exceptionally dry and scorching period that triggered official drought declarations across eastern England. With just 2 mm of rain falling, precipitation ceased almost entirely, making this the driest July in 127 years of records and forcing widespread agricultural irrigation cutbacks. Globally, the region recorded the 6th highest three-month warming anomaly of any tracked territory on Earth, alongside a moderate El Niño on our live tracker at ENSO forecast to peak at Very Strong in Oct-Dec, with high pressure expected to keep conditions warmer and drier than normal into autumn.
This month in numbers
The mean temperature reached 20.2°C, which sits 4°C above the 1961-1990 baseline and ranks as the 2nd warmest July in 127 years, trailing only 2006. Sunshine soared to 304 hours, representing 116 hours above average and making it the 2nd sunniest month of all time. Rainfall evaporated to near zero, with just 2 mm recorded across the entire region, leaving a 48.2 mm deficit compared to normal. This produced the driest July out of 127 recorded years, registering less than one precipitation day, another all-time low. In comparison, the broader United Kingdom ran 2.9°C above average, highlighting East Anglia as one of the hardest-hit corners of the country.
What changed
Looking at the broader season, May through July 2026 achieved a mean temperature of 17.57°C, which is 3.7°C above baseline and ranks as the 1st warmest three-month stretch on record since 1900. Sunshine across the season totalled 783 hours, 205 hours above average and ranking 2nd overall, while total precipitation measured just 75 mm, ranking as the 124th driest period on record. Globally, East Anglia ranked 6th of 232 tracked territories for both its single-month and three-month temperature anomalies, part of a striking pattern where six of the top ten warmest three-month anomalies occurred in European nations and UK regions. Over the longer term, East Anglia has warmed by 1.61°C compared to its 1961-1990 baseline, with 2025 placing as the 4th warmest year on record at 11.43°C.
What’s driving change?
The persistent heat and dry spell were propelled by , which allowed atmospheric high pressure to stall over northern Europe, blocking rain-bearing Atlantic systems and unmasking underlying greenhouse warming through . Urban areas across the region also experienced local warming from the effect, intensifying daytime maximum temperatures above 26°C. On a global scale, climate patterns are influenced by ENSO, where a moderate El Niño is currently active on our live tracker at ENSO with an anomaly of +0.98°C RONI. While tropical Pacific ocean dynamics strongly influence global baselines, historical teleconnections between El Niño and European summer weather remain weak, leaving regional as the primary local driver.
Looking ahead
Seasonal climate models indicate that high pressure and elevated sea surface temperatures around the British Isles will likely maintain a trend toward warmer and drier than normal conditions across East Anglia through late summer and into autumn.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – UKUnited Kingdom
Source: Met Office UK Regional & National series (Tmean, Precipitation, Sunshine, Air Frost) © Crown copyright, plus GPCC (Snow, water-equivalent). Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – East Anglia
Köppen Cfb · TemperateEast Anglia has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfb: Oceanic / temperate), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 18.1°C, while January is the coldest at 4.5°C. Annual precipitation averages around 622mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly rain, with snow (water-equivalent) shown separately.
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright.
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – East Anglia
Right axis: everything else standardized to standard deviations (σ) from its own average, since mm/hours/days aren't directly comparable to °C or to each other.
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright.
Heatwave Days – East Anglia
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI heatwave measure: days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – East Anglia
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright.
Monthly Temperature – East Anglia
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright.
Records – East Anglia
Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Cfb · TemperateHow spring and autumn have shifted in East Anglia. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (9.3°C, from 1900–1929); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 12.5°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Jun (+2.3°C).
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright.
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for East Anglia
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
UK Tmean / Tmax / Tmin, rainfall, rain-days, sunshine and air-frost series. © Crown copyright.
Warm Spell Duration Index: days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature, ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in East Anglia changing?
East Anglia is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in East Anglia?
East Anglia has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfb: Oceanic / temperate), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 18.1°C, while January is the coldest at 4.5°C. Annual precipitation averages around 622mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Where does the climate data for East Anglia come from?
Climate data for East Anglia comes from the UK Met Office HadUK-Grid (temperature, rainfall, sunshine, air frost), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the East Anglia climate data cover?
The East Anglia climate profile covers Norwich, Cambridge, Ipswich, Peterborough and surrounding areas. East Anglia climate data across East Anglia and nearby eastern cities
How often is the East Anglia climate update refreshed?
The East Anglia climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the East Anglia climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the East Anglia climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.