The UK experienced its sixth wettest July on record, with Northern Ireland having its wettest ever, according to provisonal data from the Met Office. The month saw an average of 140.1mm of rain, the highest total since 1836. The year 1988 holds the record for the UK’s wettest July, with an average of 150.5mm of rain.
The unseasonably deep area of low pressure crossing Britain is expected to bring more torrential downpours and thunderstorms on Wednesday. The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for strong winds and thunderstorms across southern parts of England, Wales, and parts of Scotland.
The UK had a mean temperature of 14.9C, slightly cooler than usual, with a mean temperature of 15.8C in June, the warmest on record. The recent wet and unsettled weather has helped river, reservoir, and groundwater levels recover in much of the country. However, there are still areas that have experienced prolonged periods of dry weather, and climate change is changing the weather patterns that we all rely on for water.
Torrential Rain Pours Down on UK and Northern IrelandMike Kendon from the Met Office said, “It has been a significantly wet month for much of the UK, particularly for those in Northern Ireland. The jet stream has been shifted to the south of the UK for much of the month, simultaneously allowing extreme heat to build in southern Europe for a time, but also allowing a succession of low pressure systems to influence the UK, with long periods of winds and rain that many more typically associate with autumn weather.”
In contrast, several cities across Europe have seen temperatures surpass 40C in recent weeks. Areas of Greece, France, and Spain have been enduring extreme temperatures, with reports of tourists collapsing in Greece and Italy, and an outdoor worker dying near Milan.
Sam Larsen, director of programmes and planning at Water UK, added, “However, there are still areas in drought or that have experienced prolonged periods of dry weather, and climate change is changing the weather patterns that we all rely on for water.”