As many of you will know, even if you weren’t around at the time, the 50th anniversary of the 1976 prolonged heatwave and drought has been much talked about in the news lately. In London, we have just had the third heatwave of 2026 so here are a few of my photographs of our recent hot, dry summers.
Green turns to brown
An article published by the Royal Meteorological Society in March 2024, explains that “The summer of 2022 was particularly notable for the prolonged and extensive hot and dry conditions experienced across the UK”. The 2022 drought had widespread impacts raising “much discussion about vulnerability of the UK to drought in the context of anthropogenic warming.”*
Riverside
London’s most recent heatwave has come to an end with cooler weather as I write (July 18), with pleasant temperatures between 24 to 26 degrees for the week to come. But still no rain…
Further Information
The Royal Meteorological Society: ‘The severity of the 2022 drought and its impacts’: https://rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wea.4531
Questions and answers on the 2022 drought in the London Assembly, September 15 and November 17.
London’s Heat Plan: The London Assembly Anthropogenic global warming is the name given to the rise in average global temperatures that is primarily attributed to human activity.
* “Anthropogenic global warming is the name given to the rise in average global temperatures that is primarily attributed to human activity.”