England SE & Central South Climate – July 2026 Update
City Coverage: London, Oxford, Reading, Southampton, Portsmouth, and Brighton
Summary
July 2026 was the warmest, sunniest, and driest month on record for England SE & Central South, capping an unprecedented three-month spell of extreme summer heat. Unbroken high pressure brought prolonged heatwave conditions, delivering record high temperatures and almost no rainfall. The extreme dryness triggered official drought declarations and widespread hosepipe bans across Thames Water and South East Water customer areas, with more unsettled weather expected to bring some relief in the coming weeks.
This month in numbers
The average temperature reached 20.7°C in July 2026, standing 4.3°C above the 1961–1990 baseline and ranking 1st of 127 years on record. Sunshine smashed historical records with 360 hrs recorded, an extraordinary 158 hrs above normal and 1st of 117 years. Rainfall virtually ceased, with a total of just 0.7 mm (47.6 mm below average), ranking 127th of 127 years as the driest month ever logged in the region.
What changed
The May to July season set new high-water marks across the territory, recording its warmest 3-month period on record with an average temperature of 17.77°C (+3.8°C anomaly) and its sunniest with 844 hrs of sunshine (+241 hrs anomaly). While the overall United Kingdom ran 2.9°C above normal for the month, England SE & Central South saw far more intense warming, placing 3rd highest out of 232 global regions tracked for 1-month temperature anomaly and 5th highest for the 3-month window.
What’s driving change?
The persistent summer heatwave was anchored by that allowed to stall over western Europe, blocking rain-bearing Atlantic weather systems. As moisture evaporated, further elevated daytime temperatures by preventing evaporative cooling. Globally, a moderate El Niño is currently active and forecast to peak at Very Strong in Oct-Dec (tracked live at ENSO using the Relative Niño Index), though its direct historical link to southern English summer heat is weak compared to regional .
Looking ahead
Long-range seasonal forecasts indicate that drier and warmer than average conditions are likely to persist through late summer and early autumn, though occasional unsettled spells may bring brief episodes of rainfall to the region.
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 SE & Central South
Köppen Cfb · TemperateEngland SE & Central South has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfb: Oceanic / temperate), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 18.0°C, while January is the coldest at 4.8°C. Annual precipitation averages around 827mm, 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 SE & Central South
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 SE & Central South
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 SE & Central South
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright.
Monthly Temperature – England SE & Central South
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 SE & Central South
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 SE & Central South. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (9.4°C, from 1900–1929); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 12.1°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Jun (+2.2°C).
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright.
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for England SE & Central South
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 SE & Central South changing?
England SE & Central South 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 SE & Central South?
England SE & Central South has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfb: Oceanic / temperate), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 18.0°C, while January is the coldest at 4.8°C. Annual precipitation averages around 827mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Where does the climate data for England SE & Central South come from?
Climate data for England SE & Central South 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 SE & Central South climate data cover?
The England SE & Central South climate profile covers London, Oxford, Reading, Southampton and surrounding areas. London, the South East and Central Southern England climate data
How often is the England SE & Central South climate update refreshed?
The England SE & Central South 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 SE & Central South 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 SE & Central South 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.