July 2018 was the warmest month locally in a record going back to 1797. The mean temperature of 21.7C is 3.2C above the 1981-2010 average and exceeds the previous warmest July (1983) by 0.3C. Indeed, it is the warmest calendar month ever.

Just 16.7mm of rain fell, all of it coming after the 47 day long drought ended with a thunderstorm on the 27th. The amount is 38 per cent of average and is the driest July since 2010 and 7th driest in the local record.

There were 273 hours of sunshine, 142 per cent of average, making it the sunniest for five years and 10th sunniest on record.

As well as many hot days the lack of rainfall was most noticeable with catastrophic results on Wanstead Flats.

The warmest day occurred on the 26th with 34.7C.

The wettest day occurred on the 27th with 7.3mm falling.