Satellite Images Show How Dry Weather Is Changing the Look of South-East England

Satellite images taken over Kent, Sussex, and Surrey show how a long stretch of hot, dry weather has changed the landscape of south-east England in 2026. July 2026 was the driest July in England since weather records began 190 years ago, according to the Met Office. The pictures compare the same areas in 2025 and 2026, and the difference in plant health is very clear. Most of the year has seen more sunshine than normal, and the region has gone through several heatwaves.

Farmers across the region have been struggling with the dry conditions all summer long. Some have said they are already using food they had saved for winter to feed their animals. This means they may not have enough supplies to get through the colder months ahead. The situation is serious for both livestock and the people who depend on farming for their income.

Rivers have also dropped to very low levels because of the lack of rain. This is causing problems for wetland ecosystems, which are the plants and animals that live in and around wet areas like marshes and riverbanks. When water levels fall, many creatures lose the habitat they need to survive. Scientists are watching these changes closely.

Emergency services have warned that the dry conditions make wildfires much more likely. They have asked the public to be careful and to help stop fires from starting in the first place. At a weather station in Wisley, Surrey, meteorologists have gone more than 50 days without recording any rainfall — a record for that location. Dry grass and soil can catch fire very easily, so officials say everyone needs to be alert.

People are also feeling the effects of the heat. Several heat health alerts have been issued across the south-east during the summer. Water companies South East Water and Thames Water have put hosepipe bans in place, meaning customers cannot use a hosepipe to water their gardens or wash their cars. These rules are meant to save water during the shortage.

The Environment Agency says most of south-east England is in a state of prolonged dry weather. Officials have warned that some areas may soon be officially declared to be in drought. Drought has already been declared in more than half of the country. Forecasters expect August to stay warm and dry, with temperatures above average.

Scientists say that climate change is making extreme weather events like this more common in the UK. They say the country is now seeing stronger winter storms and hotter, drier summers more often than before. The world's top climate scientists, working with a United Nations group called the IPCC, concluded in 2023 that human activities — especially the burning of fuels that release greenhouse gases — have caused global warming. Experts say this poses serious threats to both people and nature.