According to preliminary figures, both England and Wales look set to have their driest July since 1836.
The weather has been characterised by an unusual combination of extreme heat, plenty of sunshine and an almost total absence of rain in some areas, according to the British Met Office.
The weather agency describes July as "truly exceptional".
Earlier this week, the authority announced that a daytime temperature of 38 degrees was measured in the United Kingdom on June 26, a new heat record for the month.
