The maps and charts that show the huge impact of Britain’s record-breaking summer

It’s been a record-breaking summer across the UK; Three consecutive heat waves forced schools to close and record numbers of ambulance services were called as extreme heat gripped the country.

The Met Office has confirmed that last month was the UK’s warmest June on record; temperatures reached 37.7C in Lingwood, Norfolk, on the 26th. This exceeded the 35.6C set in 1957 and equaled the record set in 1976.

This year, temperatures reached 35°C for the first time in May, June and July of the same year, when scorching temperatures continued.

The impact of the overwhelming conditions has left its mark on sectors in society, including wildlife, farming, health and education.

Prolonged dry conditions have led to a drought being declared in parts of Wales, while many parts of England are also under threat as farmers warn these conditions could lead to food shortages later in the year.

Hose bans are also in place for 23 million people across the country, with water bosses scrambling to protect dwindling supplies after the driest spring on record in England and Wales, with warnings that they could continue all summer.

Bushfires have also broken out across England, while Scotland battled a massive blaze in the Cairngorms following record dry conditions.

It’s too early to tell whether 2026 will be one of the hottest years in history. But Britons have been warned to prepare for more scorching heat after the Met Office last week said extreme weather conditions would become the new normal due to the climate crisis.

Here’s how Britain’s record-breaking summer is affecting the country.

Farming

Farmers have warned that it will be determined in the coming days whether supermarkets will be affected by food shortages later in the year following extremely hot and dry conditions.

There has been no rain this month in southern and eastern England; This was the longest period without rain in the last 30 years and farmers struggled to protect their crops.

A prolonged drought (the phase immediately preceding drought) has been declared in East Anglia, West Midlands, Devon, Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire, London, Wessex, Thames, Solent and the South Downs.

The National Drought Group, whose members include the Met Office, government, regulators, water companies and farmers, says extreme weather is having a serious impact on the environment, affecting water supplies and food production.

While farmers say that the heat dries the grains, they say that barley yields in the spring are expected to be negatively affected by the rain at the beginning of the season.

Some farmers in East Anglia have had to stop taking water because rivers are too dry.

Harvest started early and the risk of fire in combine harvesters increases due to the heat.

NFU vice-president Paul Tompkins said: “Some parts of the country, particularly the east and south, have seen exceptionally low rainfall, creating real challenges for farming businesses. For many agro-based farmers this could be another difficult and expensive harvest following extreme weather in 2024 and 2025, which saw both drought and floods.”

Rising temperatures are also likely to affect the types of crops British farmers can grow in the future. 2025 to work The research, led by the UK Center for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), predicted that by 2080 temperatures in this country will be suitable for crops traditionally grown in much warmer parts of the world, including oranges, chickpeas and okra.

Health

This year’s heatwaves forced many hospitals to declare critical incidents; This means they may not be able to provide normal safe services due to pressures on patient flow, bed capacity or staff due to the high demand for services.

London Ambulance Service recorded the highest number of life-threatening emergencies in its history in June; Health officials said this increase was “due to extreme heat.”

He said June 24 was his fifth busiest day ever, with 7,900 call and ambulance crews attending to nearly 3,600 patients in a single day.

More than 2,700 people are estimated to have died due to record-breaking temperatures in May and June, according to a study by Imperial College London, the Met Office and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Researchers believe that just over 40 percent of these people died as a direct result of climate change.

“Heatwaves can be fatal due to the pressure on the heart and other organs,” said Jess Beagley, policy lead at the Global Climate and Health Alliance. Independent: “High temperatures pose a particular risk to people with existing health problems, including cardiovascular disease, to infants because they are less able to regulate their body temperature, and to outdoor workers who are most exposed.”

wildlife

The impact of high temperatures and droughts also affects wildlife.

Data from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s long-running national monitoring program has revealed a decline in bumblebee populations in 2022 following record-breaking temperatures in which parts of England reached 40.3C. That year, red-tailed, buff-tailed, and scalloped bumblebee numbers dropped by 20 percent, 25 percent, and 35 percent, respectively, from their peak.

The trust has warned that when temperatures reach 28C and above, British bumblebees may have difficulty flying without overheating, making it difficult to fly, collect nectar and pollinate plants. As a result, bumblebee colonies grow more slowly and queen numbers decrease.

Rising temperatures could also attract new species of wildlife, according to scientists who warn that a warmer climate will allow some invasive species to thrive.

Increases have already been recorded in the number of diamondback moths arriving in the UK during the warmer months, which can cause widespread damage to brassica crops; Invasive mosquito species that can transmit diseases such as West Nile fever, dengue fever, chikungunya and Zika; and sand flies that spread leishmaniasis.

“Higher temperatures in the future will increase the suitability of the UK climate for these invasive species, increasing the risk of them spreading disease,” according to the UK report. Health Protection Research Unit.