England and Wales Climate – July 2026 Update
City Coverage: London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester, Bristol, and Leeds
Summary
England and Wales experienced extraordinary summer conditions, marked by the driest July on record and unprecedented sunshine. The period from May to July 2026 registered as the warmest such three-month spell ever recorded across the region, while the latest month delivered a record 305.9 hours of sunshine alongside just 6.9 mm of rain. The prolonged heat and lack of rainfall prompted widespread drought declarations, with settled conditions expected to persist through late summer.
This month in numbers
July 2026 was the 2nd warmest on record for England and Wales, with mean temperatures reaching 19°C, an anomaly of +3.6°C compared to the 1961-1990 baseline. Maximum temperatures averaged 24.9°C, which is 5°C above normal. The month was exceptionally bright, recording its 1st sunniest July in 117 years of data with 305.9 hours of sunshine, giving residents over four extra hours of bright sun each day compared to average. Rainfall was almost entirely absent, dropping to just 6.9 mm, making it the driest July in 127 years of records with a record low of 1.6 rain days.
What changed
The period from May to July 2026 set a new all-time record as the warmest such three-month spell ever recorded in England and Wales, averaging 16.4°C (+3.3°C anomaly). Total sunshine across these three months reached 738 hours, ranking 3rd highest in records going back to 1910. The region ran significantly warmer than the UK national average of +2.9°C for the month, placing England and Wales 13th warmest globally among 232 tracked regions for 1-month temperature anomaly and 12th globally for the 3-month window.
What’s driving change?
Persistent high-pressure systems created over Western Europe, trapping warm air and blocking rain-bearing Atlantic weather fronts. As rainfall plummeted, further exacerbated the heat, as parched ground could no longer cool the air through moisture evaporation. On a global level, a moderate El Niño is currently active in the tropical Pacific, tracked at ENSO, though its historical teleconnections to European summer weather are relatively weak compared to regional patterns.
Looking ahead
Seasonal forecasts indicate that above-average warmth is likely to persist through late summer and into autumn, while the background El Niño is 81% likely to reach Very Strong intensity in the Oct-Dec window.
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 and Wales
Köppen Cfb · TemperateEngland and Wales has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfb: Oceanic / temperate), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 16.9°C, while January is the coldest at 4.4°C. Annual precipitation averages around 981mm, 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 and Wales
Precipitation, Sunshine, Frost and Snow are converted to standard deviations from their own average so they can share an axis with Temperature.
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright.
Heatwave Days – England and Wales
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - 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 and Wales
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright.
Monthly Temperature – England and Wales
Latest month is provisional and may be revised by the data provider in the next update cycle.
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 and Wales
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 and Wales. 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 11.6°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 and Wales
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 and Wales changing?
England and Wales 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 and Wales?
England and Wales has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfb: Oceanic / temperate), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 16.9°C, while January is the coldest at 4.4°C. Annual precipitation averages around 981mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Where does the climate data for England and Wales come from?
Climate data for England and Wales 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 and Wales climate data cover?
The England and Wales climate profile covers London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester and surrounding areas. Combined England and Wales climate data across major cities
How often is the England and Wales climate update refreshed?
The England and Wales 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 and Wales 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 and Wales 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.