July was warm, sometimes hot, but often unsettled with localised heavy rain. High temperatures (on the 1st and from 9th‑14th) contributed to the fifth warmest July for the UK (in a series from 1890). Rainfall was below average in south Wales and the south-west and, like each month so far in 2025 except June, for the UK as a whole. River flows remained above average in the north-west, but elsewhere, many were below normal or low. Soils remained very dry in the south with impacts on crop yields, and groundwater levels in most of the UK continued to decline, with the majority within the normal to notably low range. Reservoir stocks fell and, except in Northern Ireland, remained in deficit at the national scale (8%, 19% and 7% below average for Scotland, Wales and England, respectively). Whilst there was modest recovery at a few reservoirs in the north (e.g. Kielder Water), many elsewhere saw deficits increase, and stocks were more than 20% below their July average at some notably widespread locations (e.g. Washburn, Derwent Valley, Elan Valley, Ardingly). Drought status was declared for the East Midlands and West Midlands on the 15th, and remained in place for north-west England and Yorkshire. Whilst north-west Britain continued unsettled into August, the Hydrological Outlook for August-October is that below normal flows are likely to persist in many areas, particularly in south Wales and central and southern England. In these areas, and others that have so far missed much of the summer rainfall or where groundwater levels are low, above average rainfall is needed into the autumn months to ease pressures on water resources.