BBC Weather: Summer 2026 Set to Be UK's Hottest on Record
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The Met Office is expected to confirm that the UK has experienced its hottest summer since records began in 1884.
Provisional figures for June, July, and August are set to be released on Tuesday afternoon, likely revealing that average temperatures have broken the previous record set last year. This follows a spring and summer marked by persistent heat, including five widespread heatwaves and 40 days with temperatures exceeding 30°C (86°F), surpassing the previous record of 34 days.
The temperature figures align with evidence that summers are growing hotter due to human-induced climate change. Records are increasingly being broken, often by larger margins.
Despite a cooler end to August, it remains likely that this summer will be declared the hottest on record. High pressure systems dominated UK weather throughout the season, leading to dry conditions and continental winds that propelled temperatures higher repeatedly. On August 11th, the Met Office indicated it was increasingly probable that this would be the hottest summer since records began.
As of the writing, England and Wales are poised to set new records, while Northern Ireland is expected to come close, but Scotland will fall short.
This summer's heat stands out due to its persistence, shattering numerous records:
- The highest temperature recorded this summer was 38.1°C (100.6°F) at Kew Gardens in London on August 13th.
- Temperatures of 30°C or higher were recorded on 40 separate days, surpassing the previous record of 34 days set in 1995.
- A temperature of 35°C or higher was logged on 10 separate days, breaking the previous record of five days.
- This is the first time a temperature of 35°C or higher has been recorded in four calendar months—May, June, July, and August.
- Three days with temperatures reaching 37°C or higher mark a new UK record, with such high temps occurring nine times nationwide this year.
Five widespread heatwaves have characterized this summer, including one at the end of meteorological spring that broke the UK's May temperature record by more than 2°C, and another in June that shattered the monthly record as well.