The UK had its driest July since 1935 this year, along with two heatwaves – but it wasn’t the only place to experience shocking conditions.
As the climate crisis becomes an increasingly pressing emergency, countries around the world are having to face up to the reality that the norm is shifting faster than we can adapt.
China has particularly suffered in the past few weeks, as an extreme heatwave and drought has affected the country for 70 days, breaking records first set in 1951.
The US, too, has experienced intense and severe droughts – prompted by the temperature records set across the states – as has Europe.
In fact, Europe’s drought is the worst experienced for 500 years.
India has had 200 days which are classed as heatwaves this year alone.
Ancient relics from around the world have been discovered due to the declining water levels, too.
While some countries are struggling with extreme dry conditions, over in Pakistan, there’s been torrential downpours which have killed 900 people, another nod to just how global weather is becoming increasingly unstable.
South Korea’s Seoul had the heaviest hourly downpour its population has seen in 80 years prompting fears of landslides. Even in some parts of China there has been flash flooding, despite certain regions of the country being completely dried out.
But, sometimes, descriptions aren’t enough.
So, here’s a look at some of the most shocking images from around the world which sum up just how our climate is changing – and suggests that it’s not just a summer of anomalies.
The dry water area near Poyang Lake Bridge in Jiujiang City (the largest freshwater lake in China), August 24, 2022.
A large tidal flat is exposed along the Nanjing section of the Yangtze River, China, August 24, 2022.
The drought-stricken Shasta lake, in California in the US, August 18, 2022.
The depleted water levels of the river Rhine in Germany, on August 23, 2022.
Water level dropped at Lake Mead as seen during drought season, in Nevada, United States on August 24, 2022.
A withered and dried up sunflower field on August 24, 2022 near Kemlitz, Germany.
People take a stroll in the river bed of the Waal as water levels dropped because of drought in Nijmegen, Netherlands, August 9, 2022.
Stranded people wade through a flooded area after heavy monsoon rainfall in Rajanpur district of Punjab province on August 25, 2022.
Flood waters flow over a carpark and pedestrianised area that were submerged by the burst banks of the Han River in Seoul on August 10, 2022.
A huge tree was knocked down by a strong wind and rain, falling on a car parked on a street. Krakow, Poland on July 23, 2022.
People with umbrellas walking in the rain on Millennium Bridge, London, August 17, 2022.
Local residents and labourers fortify embankment after heavy monsoon rainfall in Rajanpur district of Punjab province on August 25, 2022.
Vehicles driving along a flooded street during a heavy rainfall brought by typhoon Ma-on on August 25, 2022 in Haikou, Hainan Province of China.
The Dolmen of Guadalperal, sometimes also known as The Spanish Stonehenge is seen above the water level at the Valdecanas reservoir, which is at 27 percent capacity, on July 28, 2022 in Caceres province, Spain.
The wreck of the wooden cargo ship De Hoop 1 is seen next to the Rhine River on August 12, 2022 in Emmerich, Germany. It sank on March 19, 1895, and is only seen during extreme low water levels.