United Kingdom Faces Historic Heat, Summer 2026 Could Break Record and Drought Affects 45 Million People

Preliminary data from the UK Met Office indicate that the summer of 2026 could prove to be the hottest ever recorded in the United Kingdom.

From June 1 to August 10, the national average temperature was 16.48°C. This figure is already higher than the 16.10°C average recorded over the entire summer of 2025. The Met Office said that if average temperatures are recorded during the remainder of August, last year’s record will be definitively surpassed.

The year 2026 has brought several successive episodes of extreme temperatures. A heatwave at the end of spring set a new record for May, while hot weather returned again during June and July.

On June 26, the thermometer reached 38°C in Lingwood, Norfolk—the highest temperature recorded so far this summer. The Met Office has warned that extreme temperatures are also expected this week, which could equal or exceed that record.

In England, the average summer temperature up to this point has reached 18.19°C, which is 2.46°C higher than the 1991–2020 average. In Wales, an average of 16.8°C was recorded, or 2.17°C above the normal figure. In addition to the heat, the summer of 2026 has also been accompanied by several other records.

For the first time since records began, temperatures of 35°C or higher have been measured in three different months: May, June and July. If this week’s forecasts are fulfilled, August will also exceed this threshold, becoming the fourth month of the year to do so.

July, meanwhile, was declared the driest month ever recorded in England and Wales since 1836, when data collection began. Southern England also recorded its driest documented calendar month to date.

By July 15, the United Kingdom had recorded more days with temperatures above 30°C than during the whole of 1976, a year known for its prolonged and exceptional heatwave.

The lack of rainfall and high temperatures have placed further strain on water reserves. Drought declarations have covered more than two-thirds of England, as well as the entirety of Wales.

At present, around 45 million residents of England live in areas affected by drought. Meanwhile, water-use restrictions affect more than 27 million people.

For most of England and Wales, meteorologists do not expect significant rainfall this week. However, weekend forecasts indicate that rain systems could arrive from the Atlantic.

According to Met Office senior scientist Mike Kendon, this year’s statistical data clearly demonstrate the changes taking place in the United Kingdom’s climate.