London hasn’t seen rain in 22 days, close to breaking the previous longest stretch from last July when record-breaking temperatures scorched the capital.
The UK’s capital last saw rainfall in May 14, and there doesn’t seem to be a chance of precipitation through at least June 9, according to the Met Office. This would mean the dry spell in London would extend beyond the previous 24-day record, when the lack of rain eventually led authorities to ban households from watering their gardens.
Europe is bracing for another summer of potentially parched conditions and extreme heat as changes in the climate become increasingly intense. Last year, a historic drought and deadly heat wave shriveled rivers, triggered wildfires and halted transportation — contributing to volatility in energy and commodity prices.
Temperatures in parts of Britain are set to rise into the high 20s-Celsius (above 80F) this week, the forecaster said.
In the UK alone, precipitation patterns have been dramatic this year, with February being the driest for the month in three decades, followed by the wettest March in 40 years. A lack of reservoirs and widespread water leaks has put pressure on the country’s resources during dry weather. Scotland is already seeing signs of an early drought, with situation expected to escalate in the coming weeks.
Read More: With a UK Water Crisis Looming, London’s Leak Hunters Suit Up
“If drier spells were to continue, they would develop drought conditions,” said Andrew Pedrini, a Meteorologist at Atmospheric G2. “According to the latest projection, we should see some relief on the way, beginning later this week/weekend and then again later in June.”
(Updates with number of days with no rain, and details about record in second graph.)
