England has just recorded its hottest June since records began, according to provisional Met Office data. The month was marked by a severe heatwave in its final days, prompting the first-ever issuance of three consecutive red extreme heat warnings in the UK.
Record-Breaking Temperatures
The Met Office confirmed that June 2026 was the warmest June on record for England, while Wales and the UK as a whole saw their second-warmest June since 1884. Dr Emily Carlisle, a Met Office scientist, stated: “June’s high temperatures are part of a broader pattern of warmth during 2026. So far, five of the first six months of the year have recorded mean temperatures at least 1C above average, with only January seeing below average temperatures.”
The heat followed the warmest spring on record for England and Wales, and the third-warmest for the UK. In May, Kew Gardens in Greater London recorded a temperature of 35.1C, surpassing its previous station record of 29.3C and the previous UK May record of 32.8C. “This reflects the exceptional nature of the heat, with values more typical of mid-summer being observed in late spring,” the Met Office noted.
Exceptional Night-Time Heat
The second half of June was notable for exceptionally warm nights, with frequent “tropical nights” where temperatures did not drop below 20C. The UK’s minimum temperature was more than 2C above average, while England recorded overnight temperatures 2.6C above average. Prof Stephen Belcher CBE, the Met Office chief scientist, commented: “June’s heatwave was a significant weather event, with a red extreme heat warning issued. Human-induced climate change has made events like this more likely and more intense. To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering. Events like this bring home the implications of climate change, with very high temperatures and humidity bringing significant health implications from heat stress, as well as impacts to a range of sectors such as transport, energy and water supply.”
Impact of Climate Change
June was the first time since extreme heat warnings were introduced in 2021 that a red warning was issued for three consecutive days in the UK. The extent and persistence of the heat were particularly notable, with records dating back several decades or even over a century being challenged or exceeded during the alert. The frequency and intensity of heatwaves have increased worldwide. Met Office projections indicate that hot spells will become more frequent in the future, especially in the south-east of the UK. Temperatures are expected to rise in all seasons, with the most intense heat in summer.
Deadly European Heatwave
Analysis released this week by Dr Christopher Callahan, a climate scientist at Indiana University, found that the recent European heatwave killed more than 20,000 people. The rapid modelling study, based on peer-reviewed methods, estimated over 5,000 excess deaths in France, 4,500 in Germany, 3,000 in Spain, 2,700 in Italy, 1,070 in Poland, and 862 in the UK between 22 and 28 June.
