England has just experienced its hottest June on record, according to provisional data from the Met Office. The month was driven by a searing heatwave in the final days, which prompted the first-ever three consecutive days of red extreme heat warnings since the system was introduced in 2021.
Record-Breaking Temperatures
The Met Office reported that Wales and the UK as a whole recorded their second-warmest June since records began in 1884. Dr Emily Carlisle, a Met Office scientist, noted that five of the first six months of 2026 have seen mean temperatures at least 1C above average, with only January below average.
June's 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 reached 35.1C, exceeding 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 stated.
Tropical Nights and Health Impacts
The record-breaking temperatures were notable for exceptionally warm nights, with frequent "tropical nights" where temperatures did not drop below 20C. June's minimum temperature was more than 2C above average across the UK, while England recorded overnight temperatures 2.6C above average.
Prof Stephen Belcher CBE, the Met Office chief scientist, said: "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."
Global Context and Future Projections
The frequency and intensity of heatwaves has increased worldwide. Met Office projections indicate that hot spells will become more frequent in the future climate, particularly over the south-east of the UK. Temperatures are projected to rise in all seasons, but the heat will be most intense in summer.
Analysis 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.
