Britain records hottest summer on record in 2026

Britain experienced its hottest summer on record in 2026, the Met Office announced on Tuesday, with a season of relentless heatwaves, widespread drought, and destructive wildfires underscoring the accelerating impacts of climate change. Provisional figures show the average temperature across June, July, and August was 16.5 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous record of 16.1 degrees Celsius set just last year in 2025. The record-breaking season was driven by a series of heatwaves that began in late May and recurred throughout the summer, with two occurring in July alone. The first major heatwave in late June prompted a rare red alert for extreme heat, with temperatures peaking at 38 degrees Celsius in Norfolk on June 26, a new record for the month. The most recent heatwave in mid-August saw the mercury climb to 38.1 degrees Celsius at Kew Gardens in London on August 13, marking the hottest day of the year and making 2026 the first year on record to see three separate days with temperatures exceeding 37 degrees Celsius. The prolonged heat and minimal rainfall led to severe consequences. England recorded its driest July since data began, with only 7 millimeters of rain measured.