UK records hottest summer since 1884, Met Office says

September 1, 2026 at 07:36 PM2 min

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The UK recorded its hottest summer since records began in 1884, with an average temperature of 16.5°C, the Met Office said. The previous record of 16.1°C was set just a year earlier. The season brought five heatwaves, drought across two-thirds of England and all of Wales, and more than 2,700 heat-related deaths in England and Wales.

Key Facts

The average UK temperature for June, July and August 2026 was 16.5°C, surpassing the previous record of 16.1°C set in 2025.
The Met Office recorded 40 days with temperatures of 30°C or higher, breaking the previous record of 34 days set in 1995.
Lingwood in Norfolk reached 38°C in June, a new June record exceeding the 1976 mark of 35.6°C.
Heat in May and June is estimated to have caused more than 2,700 deaths in England and Wales.
Met Office climate scientist Mark McCarthy said such a summer would occur less than once every 1,000 years without human influence on the climate, but can now be expected about once every nine years.

Record Temperatures

The Met Office reported that the average temperature for June, July and August 2026, including day and night readings, was 16.5°C. The previous record of 16.1°C was set in 2025, and even a late-August cool spell did not prevent the new maximum. Meteorologists counted 40 days with temperatures of 30°C or higher, compared with the previous record of 34 days in 1995. In June, Lingwood in Norfolk recorded 38°C, exceeding the previous June record of 35.6°C set in 1976. Across the summer, 54 weather stations registered their highest temperature since they began operating.

Drought and Wildfires

Drought affected two-thirds of England and all of Wales during the summer. The season brought five heatwaves and was accompanied by wildfires. The grain harvest was one of the worst on record. Researchers estimated that heat in May and June may have led to more than 2,700 deaths in England and Wales.

Climate Attribution

Forecasters linked the prolonged heat to a lack of rainfall, persistent anticyclones and climate change. Met Office climate scientist Mark McCarthy said that without human influence on the climate, such a summer would occur less than once every 1,000 years. Under the current climate, such summers can be expected on average once every nine years, McCarthy said. UK Climate Minister Katie White said the record summer showed how tangible the effects of climate change have already become. White confirmed the government's intention to develop clean energy.