Heatwave could give UK earliest autumn in 20 years, say forecasters

Extreme temperatures and a lack of rain mean the UK is experiencing the earliest signs of autumn in 20 years.

Trees have begun to drop their leaves, and berries are ripening weeks ahead of schedule amid the record temperatures.

The Met Office has already said drought status could be confirmed in the UK if dry weather continues after only 15.8mm of rain had fallen in July by Wednesday. This is the lowest since just 13.4mm fell in 1911.

London and the south-east are not expected to get rain in the next few days.

UK Weather: Summer Heatwave 2022

Autumn doesn’t officially begin until September 1. However, heatwaves - such as the one felt in 2003 - can give the impression of a change of season, with leaves falling from trees.

Fritha West, from the Woodland Trust, told the Telegraph: “The record-breaking heat we have just experienced has helped bring on a number of early autumn events.

“We have received some of our earliest ever ripe blackberry records from the south of England. Hawthorn and rowan are also ripening early in some parts of the country, where early leaf tinting has also been observed.”

England has already experienced its driest eight-month period since 1976 and the conditions are expected to have a severe knock on effect for food production.

Despite this, Anglia Water has said there is no immediate need for a hosepipe ban, with the country’s water supplies in “reasonable shape”.