UK poised to record its hottest summer since 1884, Met Office says

The Met Office anticipates confirming that the United Kingdom endured its hottest summer since records began in 1884, based on provisional figures for June, July and August due on Tuesday. A succession of five heatwaves produced 40 days with temperatures over 30 °C, shattering the earlier record of 34 days set in 1995. Mean summer temperatures reached 16.48 °C, meaning only average conditions for the remainder of August are needed to cement the new record.

Although the latter half of August brought cooler, wetter weather, England and Wales are expected to set fresh highs, Northern Ireland to come close, while Scotland will likely miss the mark. The season’s peak temperature was 38.1 °C at Kew Gardens on 13 August, ranking among the nation’s five hottest days, and the year also saw unprecedented counts of days above 35 °C and 37 °C. Drought conditions prompted fire risk across much of England and Wales, yet overall UK dryness did not set a national record.