UK to experience unusually warm spell, outpacing Athens next week
A high-pressure system will push temperatures in much of the UK up to 26 °C, making the country hotter than Athens early next week.
The Met Office forecasts that a building high-pressure area will raise temperatures across much of the United Kingdom to as high as 26 °C, particularly in the south-east of England on Tuesday. While Greece’s capital will struggle to exceed 24 °C, most of England will enjoy unusually warm late-September weather, with highs above 20 °C on Monday and Wednesday as well. The warmth is driven by a low-pressure system forming west of the UK that pulls milder air from the continent and subtropical Atlantic.
However, forecasters warn that an approaching colder front from the west could cut the heat short, leading to a mix of rain and brief sunny spells later in the week. This follows a record-hot summer that left the UK dealing with drought and wildfires, despite recent rainfall improving conditions.
Why it matters
Unseasonably warm weather affects daily life, agriculture and energy demand across the UK.
How this story developed
- Aug 31 UN warns that a record-breaking El Niño could trigger worldwide extreme weather
- Sep 3 Temperatures will rise to around 27 °C in parts of southern England on Sunday, while rain and wind are expected to return early next week.
- Sep 3 UN says the El Niño is expected to remain in place until February 2027.
- Sep 5 Czech forecasts include a possible rapid temperature rise to around 30 °C early next week.
- Sep 7 Britain announced cuts of more than 80 % to bilateral aid in eight African states.
- Sep 7 UK models show a higher likelihood of stormier, wetter conditions during autumn and winter.
- Sep 9 A brief spell of 27‑28 °C heat is expected in southeast England on Sunday.
- Sep 9 The contiguous United States experienced its warmest June-August period on record, with an average temperature of 74.4°F, according to NOAA.
- Sep 10 August 2026 set a new all‑time monthly heat record and drought drove the two biggest western water reservoirs to their lowest historic levels.
- Sep 13 Forecasts now show showers spreading across the west and east of the UK by Tuesday, following the brief heat spike.
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