Summer 2026 on course to be UK's hottest on record, says Met Office
The Met Office said average conditions for the rest of August would be enough to top last year’s record as drought and wildfire risk spread.
- The United Kingdom is on track for its warmest summer on record, with the Met Office reporting a mean temperature of 16.48°C from June 1 to August 10. Only average conditions through the rest of August are needed to beat the 16.12°C record set in 2025.
- England's mean summer temperature reached 18.19°C, up 2.46°C above average, while Wales recorded 16.8°C, 2.17°C above average. These regional figures reveal the intensity of heat distributed across the country.
- The Environment Agency reported 71.3% of England is experiencing "flash drought" following a record-dry July. The UK Health Security Agency identified 2,877 excess deaths caused by heatwaves in May and June.
- Amber heat alerts cover parts of England, with temperatures expected to reach up to 37°C on Thursday. Officials urged residents to drink water, check on vulnerable family, and avoid midday sun.
- Met senior scientist Mike Kendon warned a record-breaking summer looks "increasingly likely," noting these statistics reflect "stark changes" in the climate. Western Europe faces another heatwave, with orange alerts rising to 78 departments in France on Wednesday as temperatures reach up to 40°C.
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25 Articles
Britain facing 'worst food security crisis in decades' as UK on track for hottest summer ever on record
Britain is facing the "worst food security crisis in decades" as the UK is on track for its hottest ever recorded summer. Analysts issued the warning after it was declared yesterday that almost three-quarters of England has plunged into drought status following a prolonged period of low rainfall and hot weather. Wheat yield, milk production and vegetable crops have all been impacted by the unusually hot temperatures, investment bank Shore Capita…
Met Office issues amber extreme heat warning as England and Wales braced for another heatwave
The UK is on course to have its warmest summer on record for mean temperature, with only average conditions needed for the remainder of August to surpass the record set only last year - according to the Met Office.
UK 'on course' to record warmest summer for second year in a row
"The UK is on course to record its warmest summer on record for mean temperature, with only average conditions needed for the remainder of August to surpass the record set only last year," the Met Office said in a statement. Britain last year sweltered through its hottest summer on record with a mean temperature of 16.10C, surpassing the previous record of 15.76C set in 2018. The current average temperature for the summer, from June 1 to August …
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