Summer 2026 on course to be UK's hottest on record, says Met Office

The United Kingdom is experiencing its hottest summer since records began, with provisional data from the Met Office indicating a mean temperature of 16.48C between June 1 and August 10. This figure is 1.88C above the 1991-2020 average, surpassing the previous record set in summer 2025 (16.10C).

The summer of 2026 has been marked by exceptional heat, beginning with a late-spring heatwave that broke May temperature records. This was followed by further heatwaves in June and a two-week period of intense heat in July. Numerous locations have repeatedly met heatwave thresholds throughout the season. The highest temperature recorded so far was 38C in Lingwood, Norfolk, on June 26. An amber extreme heat warning has been issued for parts of England for the upcoming Thursday, with the possibility of temperatures exceeding 36C, a mark not seen in August since 2020.

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These statistics are a clear reminder – if one were needed – of the stark changes that we are seeing in the UK's climate.

Both England and Wales are set to record their warmest summers on record. England's mean summer temperature stands at 18.19C, 2.46C above average, while Wales's mean temperature is 16.8C, 2.17C above average. This year is also the first on record where temperatures have reached or exceeded 35C in three separate months: May, June, and July. With predictions of further heat later in the week, a fourth month could be added to this total.

Beyond the heat, July 2026 was the driest on record for both England and Wales, with southern England experiencing its driest calendar month ever. By mid-July, the UK had already recorded more days above 30C than in the entirety of 1976, a year famously known for its prolonged heatwave. Met Office senior scientist Mike Kendon described these statistics as a "clear reminder" of the stark changes occurring in the UK's climate, noting that sustained periods of warmth, rather than individual hot spells, have driven the exceptionally high average temperatures.

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While individual hot spells do not determine seasonal records on their own, sustained periods of warmth throughout the summer have contributed to the exceptionally high average temperatures we've seen so far.