London : England and Wales recorded their driest July in nearly 190 years, according to provisional data released by the Met Office.
The provisional figures showed that England received just 5.6mm of rainfall during July, equivalent to around 8% of the long-term average for the month, breaking the previous record of 13.4mm set in 1911. Wales recorded 7.9mm of rainfall, also around 8% of its long-term average and below the previous record of 22.6mm set in 1911.
Across the United Kingdom, July ranked as the third driest since records began in 1868, with rainfall reaching only 35% of the long-term average. Meteorologists said some parts of southern England received just 1.5mm of rain throughout the month, while drought has been officially declared across all of Wales and more than half of England.
The record-breaking conditions coincided with severe heatwaves that swept across the country this summer, increasing the risk of wildfires, damaging the agricultural sector and reducing river and groundwater levels. The Met Office is expected to publish its final figures in the coming days.
