UK chalks up hottest summer on record for second year running

In 2026, the United Kingdom experienced its second consecutive hottest summer on record, according to the UK's national weather agency, the Met Office. The summer season, which spanned June through August, saw an average temperature of 16.5°C (62°F), surpassing the previous record set in 2025 by 0.4°C. Scientists attribute this extreme heat to human-induced climate change, stating that such temperatures are now 130 times more likely due to greenhouse gas emissions.

The UK observed 33 countries worldwide recorded their hottest July on record, according to an analysis by the European Union's Copernicus climate observatory. England recorded its warmest June, highlighting the increasing frequency of heat records, particularly in England and Wales, where widespread drought conditions persisted due to reduced rainfall. The Met Office emphasized that the severity of these heatwaves and droughts is indicative of the impact of climate change on the UK's climate.

Met Office meteorologist Mark McCarthy noted that without the influence of greenhouse gas emissions, a summer like this would be exceptionally unlikely. The agency's analysis also revealed that the health impacts of the 2026 heatwave were severe, with an estimated 2,877 excess deaths in England, nearly double the number recorded during the entire summer of 2025.

Climate projections suggest that UK summers will continue to become hotter, with the June–August 2026 mean temperature exceeding the 2025 record, underscoring the ongoing trend of increasing temperatures in the UK.