First Shower After 58 Days of Drought in London
While extraordinary drought conditions continue in England, the first significant rainfall in 58 days was recorded in London.
Quick Look
- After 58 days of drought, the first showers began in London.
- The Met Office has warned of the risk of flash floods due to extremely dry ground, with rainfall expected to intensify on Thursday.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
There have been 5 heatwaves in the UK this year, with July 2026 being the driest on record.
London's measuring stations last recorded 10 millimeters of rainfall per hour on June 22.
There have been extraordinary drought conditions in many parts of England, where there have been 5 heat waves this year, with almost no rainfall. While July 2026 was the driest period on record, 71.3 percent of England and Wales, including all of London, were officially declared drought.
In London, where the green face turned yellow, this morning saw the first significant amount of rain in 58 days.
According to the UK Met Office's rain monitoring system, showers began across London as of 03:00 this morning, with up to 32 millimeters of rainfall per hour recorded in some parts of the city.
While the rainfall is expected to intensify on Thursday, the Met Office has warned of the risk of surface water flooding as some of the showers could be heavy and the rain falls on very dry and hard ground.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Rain is expected to intensify on Thursday.
Likely · Within days
Open Questions
- How much will the rains reduce the drought level?
- In which regions is the flood risk more intense?
