UK on course for hottest summer on record, Met Office says

The UK is on course to record its hottest summer on record for average temperature, with only average conditions needed for the remainder of August to surpass the current record set last year, the country's Met Office said on Tuesday.

A new record is even more likely for England and Wales, with records dating back to 1884.

“Another record-breaking summer now looks increasingly likely for the UK, following the second-warmest June and second-warmest July on record and yet another heatwave imminent,” Met Office senior scientist Mike Kendon said in a statement.

“We’ve seen temperatures hit 38C (100.4F) in June, 35C (95F) in early and late July, and this threshold is looking to be reached again in the next few days,” he added. “These statistics are a clear reminder—if one were needed—of the stark changes that we are seeing in the UK’s climate.”

The UK’s record warmest summer for average maximum temperatures, set in 1976, is also under threat. The Met Office said the remainder of August needs to be only 0.72C above the 1991-2020 summer average for the record to be surpassed.

Meanwhile, more than two-thirds of England is now officially in drought after the country recorded its driest July since records began in 1836.

The East Midlands, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, Kent and East Sussex, and Solent and the South Downs were moved into drought status on Monday.

Last month, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said Britain recorded 2,877 excess deaths during the May and June heat waves, nearly double the 1,504 excess deaths recorded during the summer of 2025.