Summer 2026: UK’s Hottest on Record, Says Met Office
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Summer 2026 was the UK’s hottest on record, according to provisional data from the Met Office.
Figures for June, July, and August show that the average mean temperature—including day and nighttime temperatures—was 16.5C, surpassing the previous record set in 1884.
This heatwave was characterized by:
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Five widespread heatwaves
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40 days of temperatures above 30°C (86°F), shattering the previous record of 34 days.
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Temperatures reaching a high of 38.1°C (100.6°F) at Kew Gardens in London on August 13th, provisionally making it the UK’s fifth-hottest day on record.
The Met Office attributes this to human-induced climate change, stating that the heat experienced was made 130 times more likely due to this influence.
Regional Breakdown:
England, Wales, and Northern Ireland also broke their respective mean temperature records for summer, while Scotland reported its joint-sixth warmest summer on record.
Key Records:
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40 days with temperatures at or above 30°C
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10 days with temperatures at or above 35°C
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Temperatures at or above 37°C for three separate days
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Five widespread heatwaves, including one in spring that broke the UK’s May temperature record and another in June that reached 38.0°C in Norfolk.
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A three-week heatwave in July and August, culminating in the highest temperature of the year.
The intense heat was partly due to dryness, with some areas experiencing no measurable rainfall for over two months. This led to drought declarations across all of Wales and more than two-thirds of England, as well as wildfires ravaging parts of the country.
