UK's 2026 summer sets new heat record, with climate change as key driver

The UK's average temperature for June through August reached 16.5°C, surpassing the previous record of 16.1°C set in 2025. The Met Office reports that human-caused climate change made such a summer about 130 times more likely, and that under 4°C of warming this season would be considered cool. The heat contributed to severe drought, crop damage, and wildfires across England.

The Met Office's provisional data shows the three-month average of 16.5°C surpassed last year's record of 16.1°C. Temperature readings reached 38.0°C in Norfolk during June and 38.1°C at Kew Gardens in August, while the season began with the second-warmest June and July on record.

All five of the UK's warmest summers have occurred since 2003. The Met Office calculates that human emissions made such a season roughly 130 times more likely, shifting it from a 1-in-1000-year event to roughly a 1-in-9-year occurrence. Under 4°C of additional warming, this summer would be considered cool.