The return of rain to England and Wales is bringing visible relief after the UK’s hottest summer on record left parks, farmland and open countryside dry and brown. But the first signs of recovery do not mean the drought is over: large parts of the UK remain officially in drought, and the Environment Agency has warned that some areas could still face drought conditions next spring even if autumn rainfall is above normal.
A visible change after an exceptionally hot summer
The effects of the summer’s heat were especially clear across southern England. Grasslands lost their colour, park lawns became dry, and the countryside took on a scorched appearance. Rain has begun to reverse some of that damage, with green returning to areas that had looked almost lifeless only weeks earlier.
The change is especially noticeable in the royal parks. Darren Share, director of the organisation that manages parks including Hyde Park and St James’s Park, said the grass across the network had been completely scorched by repeated heatwaves. Unlike shorter hot spells, after which rain can bring a relatively quick recovery, this summer brought one period of extreme heat after another.
That prolonged heat also changed how people used the parks. Daytime visitor numbers fell, while sports and volunteer activities were cancelled because of health and safety concerns. The parks have not returned to their pre-summer condition, but the contrast between the height of the heat and the present landscape is already stark.
Grass begins to recover
The rapid return of green has been helped by the resilience of grass. Share said the parks were beginning to turn green again, describing the recovery as evidence that grass could regenerate after extreme heat.
The parks are not yet in full bloom, and the visible recovery does not show that all the effects of the summer have been reversed. The timing and amount of further rainfall will matter. A short wet spell may revive lawns, while continued rain will be needed to support wider recovery.
Wales faces wider consequences
The effects in Wales extended beyond the appearance of parks and fields. Wales experienced wildfires in mid-August, while dry grassland reduced the amount of food available for grazing animals.
Carolyn Thomas, a climate activist and former member of the Senedd, described seeing cattle in poor condition because they had little grass to eat. Farmers had to use feed reserved for winter to keep their animals fed.
Even if fields become green again, the loss of summer grazing has already affected farmers’ preparations for the colder months. The amount of further growth before winter will depend on the weather.
The drought is not over
The landscape’s rapid change can obscure the continuing water shortage. Large parts of the UK are still officially in drought, and the Environment Agency has warned that some areas could remain affected into spring.
Autumn rainfall will help, but its benefits will depend on how persistent it is and where it falls. A greener park is a welcome sign of recovery, but it does not mean that the wider effects of the drought have disappeared.
For now, the return of colour across England and Wales is a source of relief after an exceptionally harsh summer. It is also a reminder that visible recovery can begin before the consequences of extreme weather have fully passed.
Sources
- The Guardian, “Greenish and pleasant: long-awaited rain returns to England and Wales,” 19 September 2026: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/sep/19/rain-green-grass-returns-england-wales-uk-weather
Meta: Rain brings green back to England and Wales after record summer heat, but drought risks remain for parks, farms and water supplies.
