England Climate – July 2026 Update
City Coverage: London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, and Newcastle
Summary
An extraordinary summer month saw England experience its driest July on record with just 6.5 mm of rainfall, alongside its sunniest calendar month ever recorded at 306 hours of sunshine. Driven by relentless heat and sunshine, the May to July three-month period was the warmest such period in 127 years of records at an average of 16.57°C. Severe drought conditions expanded across the country as river levels dropped, while heat is expected to persist over the coming months.
This month in numbers
The month delivered an average temperature of 19.2°C, standing 3.7°C above the 1961-1990 baseline to rank as the 2nd warmest July in 127 years of records. Average maximum temperatures reached 25.1°C, which is 5.1°C above normal. Rainfall plummeted to just 6.5 mm, 51.6 mm below average, making it the driest July since records began in 1900 with a record-low 1.5 precipitation days. Sunlight hours reached 306 hours, 123 hours above normal, securing 1st place for any month in 117 years of sunshine records.
What changed
The three-month period from May to July 2026 was the warmest such season on record for England, averaging 16.57°C with an anomaly of +3.4°C. Sunshine over these three months totalled 745 hours, ranking 3rd highest on record. Globally, England ranked 10th out of 232 regions tracked for both its one-month and three-month temperature anomalies, reflecting a striking heat pattern concentrated across Western Europe. England ran considerably warmer than the broader United Kingdom mean of 17.47°C recorded for the nation.
What’s driving change?
The relentless warmth and dryness were anchored by , where stalled high-pressure systems trapped air over Western Europe, while kept Atlantic moisture north of the British Isles. As rainfall ceased, accelerated warming, preventing soils from cooling through evaporation. On a global scale, a moderate El Niño is active in the tropical Pacific and forecast to peak at Very Strong in Oct-Dec with an 81 percent probability, tracked live at ENSO, though its direct summer teleconnection to northern Europe remains weak.
Looking ahead
Seasonal forecasts indicate that above-average temperatures are likely to persist across England into autumn, with prolonged dry intervals continuing to challenge regional water supplies.
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 – England
Köppen Cfb · TemperateEngland has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfb: Oceanic / temperate), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 17.1°C, while January is the coldest at 4.4°C. Annual precipitation averages around 897mm, 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 – England
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 – England
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 – England
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright.
Monthly Temperature – England
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 – England
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 England. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (8.8°C, from 1900–1929); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 11.7°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Jun (+2.1°C).
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright.
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for England
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 England changing?
England 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 England?
England has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfb: Oceanic / temperate), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 17.1°C, while January is the coldest at 4.4°C. Annual precipitation averages around 897mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Where does the climate data for England come from?
Climate data for England 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 England climate data cover?
The England climate profile covers London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and surrounding areas. National England climate data from the Met Office regional series
How often is the England climate update refreshed?
The England 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 England 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 England 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.