Britain is set to bask in mini 26C heatwave conditions in a matter of days, with seven counties enjoying the hottest conditions. Latest forecast maps from WXCharts predict late summer heat to be best in certain parts of the country on September 6.
The sunshine and warm weather will come after the nation welcomed some much-needed wetter conditions over the past few days with drought-busting rain finally falling over much of the country. The UK went for weeks without seeing a sign of the wet stuff during the summer, which was the warmest summer since temperature records began in 1884.
Record-breaking summer
The mean average temperature across June, July and August was 16.5C, beating the previous record of 16.1C in 2025. All of the top six warmest summers on record have occurred this century, including three this decade: 2026 in first place, followed by 2025, 2018 (15.76C), 2006 (15.75C), 2003 (15.74C) and 2022 (15.71C).
It was the sixth sunniest summer on record in the UK, with an average of 621.9 hours of bright sunshine across the three months. The sunniest summer was in 1976, when 672.2 hours of sunshine were recorded.
Weekend forecast
Looking ahead to the weekend, the Met Office forecast said that although some counties would continue to receive some summer heat, parts of the north would experience a different picture.
The national forecaster said: "Dry on Saturday with sunny spells.
"Sunday brings heavy rain and strong winds to northern areas, while the south stays drier. Monday remains bright but showery, with temperatures near average."
For next week the Met Office said the outlook appeared "fairly unsettled", adding: "Rain will likely be most frequent across northern and western areas, while the south and east are more likely to see longer drier interludes."
"There is also the potential for some strong and gusty winds, particularly in the northwest. Temperatures are likely to be near average, although brief warm or very warm spells are possible, especially in the south."
Seven hottest counties
WXCharts predicts the following seven counties will be hottest on September 6: Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Rutland.
The Met Office five-day forecast says southern England starts the day cloudy with patchy drizzle, while elsewhere is largely dry with sunny spells. Rain later spreads into Northern Ireland, southern Scotland and northern England, with blustery showers and possible thunderstorms in northwest Scotland. The southeast remains very warm, with average temperatures elsewhere.
Heavy rain continues to affect central areas before slowly shifting towards the southeast later, with clearer spells developing in the north and blustery showers for much of western Scotland. Rain clears the southeast through Friday morning, leaving a mostly dry day with bright spells, while blustery showers affect northern areas, easing later, with strong winds in the north and temperatures near normal.
