What We Know About the UK's Hottest Summer on Record in 2026

The UK recorded its hottest summer on record in 2026, with average maximum daily temperatures reaching 21.3C — 2.4C above the 1991-2020 baseline — according to a BBC Verify analysis of Met Office data published Sept. 25. Rainfall over the same period totaled 195mm on average, 23% below the same 30-year benchmark, a shortfall that triggered drought declarations across much of the country.

What made summer 2026 the hottest on record?

Repeated heatwaves pushed temperatures above the 1991-2020 average in virtually every part of the UK, BBC Verify reports. Southern England and Wales saw heat far above typical levels, while Scotland and Northern Ireland stayed closer to their historical norms. The nationwide average maximum of 21.3C is the figure used to define the summer as a record.

How much below average was rainfall?

The UK's average summer rainfall of 195mm sits 23% below the 1991-2020 comparison period, per the same dataset. Summer months are typically drier than the rest of the year, but BBC Verify describes this year's deficit as exceptional. The shortfall was widespread enough that droughts were declared across most of the country during the period covered by the data.

Which regions saw the sharpest swings?

Only north-western Scotland recorded more rain than its 1991-2020 average, according to the analysis, making it the sole region wetter than normal even as heat and dryness spread elsewhere. Southern England and Wales combined the largest temperature departures with rainfall well below average, while Scotland and Northern Ireland's more moderate temperature readings came alongside their own regional rainfall variation.

Where does the underlying data come from?

The figures are drawn from the HadUK Grid dataset, produced by the Met Office Hadley Centre and described by BBC Verify as one of the main products scientists use to monitor the UK's changing climate. The dataset estimates temperature and rainfall for the center point of every 1km-by-1km grid box covering the UK landmass, using land-based weather station observations adjusted for altitude, terrain and distance from the coast. Values shown for any given area represent a mean of that grid cell and its nearest neighbors — typically a 5km square, though never more than 7km on irregular coastlines or small islands. The Channel Islands are not covered. BBC Verify notes the 2026 figures are provisional, since fewer observations have fed into the calculations so far, meaning precise values could shift as more data arrives.

How can readers check their own postcode?

BBC Verify, credited to reporters Becky Dale, Mark Poynting and Jess Carr, built an interactive postcode lookup tied to the HadUK Grid figures. Entering a postcode returns local average maximum temperature compared with the 1991-2020 baseline and local rainfall as a percentage of that same baseline. The tool requires a modern browser with JavaScript and an internet connection; without one, BBC Verify displays UK-wide figures instead. The full interactive and underlying methodology are available at BBC News.