England records driest July since 1935

England had its driest July since 1935, according to the Met Office, which reported the figure on 11 August 2022 as it issued an amber extreme heat warning for much of the southern half of England and parts of eastern Wales¹. The warning ran from Thursday to Sunday, with temperatures expected to peak at 35C on Friday and possibly 36C over the weekend¹.

The rainfall figures differ between bodies. The Met Office gives the driest July in England since 1935¹. South West Water says July brought just 35% of England's average rainfall². Waterwise states that July was confirmed as the driest on record in England since 1911 and the driest in the UK since 1984³. Bournemouth Water says England and Wales provisionally recorded their driest July on record, with Southern England seeing its driest month ever recorded in a series dating back to 1836⁴. The Met Office also reported that heatwave criteria were being met across England, with Scotland and Northern Ireland possibly reaching official criteria by Saturday¹.

Water UK's Director of Communications, Peter Jenkins, said companies were already under pressure from a dry winter and spring:

The UK Health Security Agency issued a Level 3 Heat Health Alert in force from Tuesday through to Sunday, advising people to look out for vulnerable people, including older people, young children and those with underlying health conditions¹. Dr Agostinho Sousa of the UKHSA said the most important advice was to ensure they stay hydrated, keep cool and take steps to prevent their homes from overheating¹. The Met Office advised drinking plenty of fluids, wearing sunscreen and a wide brimmed hat, and avoiding exercise between 11am and 3pm¹. The National Fire Chiefs Council asked the public not to use barbecues in the countryside or local parks and to stub out cigarettes fully, warning that rivers and lakes can still be very cold and that jumping in can lead to cold water shock and accidental drowning¹.

Why it matters for households

Some water companies asked customers to cut back. South West Water urged customers to avoid non-essential water use, including hosepipes for gardening and washing cars and windows, and said its reservoirs were lower than usual for the time of year². Waterwise said temporary usage bans, or hosepipe bans, were getting underway in some parts of the UK³. Bournemouth Water said its teams had maximised water production, increased leak detection and repairs and moved water around its network⁴.

The suppliers set out where household water goes. South West Water and Waterwise both put hosepipe use at about 1,000 litres an hour, which Waterwise said is more than 12 baths in one hour². Bournemouth Water said a standard tap uses 10 litres a minute, a standard showerhead around 12 litres a minute, and dishwashers and washing machines around 40 litres a cycle, with older models using much more; a leaking toilet can waste up to 400 litres a day⁴. Waterwise said established lawns do not need watering and will bounce back when it rains³. South West Water and Waterwise advised watering plants early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid evaporation, and reusing bath or washing up water on plants where it is not soapy or bleached².

What happens next

The Met Office said temperatures would drop early next week as the weather became more changeable, with heavy showers and thunderstorms likely in some areas but low confidence in where and when they would occur¹. It said there was little rain in the forecast that week, with only the northwest likely to see short-lived showers¹.

For background on how this summer compares with earlier dry spells, see past UK droughts and heatwaves, and for the longer trend, why UK summers are getting hotter and drier.