New record in 2026 marks hottest Irish summer

This summer was the warmest in the UK since records began in 1884, according to provisional figures released by the country’s Met Office. The average temperature across June, July and August reached 16.5 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous record of 16.1 degrees set just a year earlier. The Met Office noted that the top six warmest summers on record have all taken place in this century, with three occurring within the last decade alone. These include 2026, which ranks first, followed by 2025, 2018, 2006, 2003 and 2022. The summer of 2026 was marked by extreme heat and minimal rainfall, leading to widespread wildfires, water shortages affecting millions and numerous regions being classified as drought-stricken. Five heatwaves struck different parts of the country in recent months, beginning with one in late May and continuing through late August. The first heatwave in June triggered a rare red alert from the Met Office, with temperatures peaking at 38 degrees Celsius in Lingwood, Norfolk, a new monthly record. An estimated 2,877 deaths in England were linked to these heatwaves during May and June, according to the UK Health Security Agency. July proved to be the driest since records began, with only 7 millimeters of rain falling, just 10 percent of the long-term average. The final heatwave of the summer hit mid-August, with temperatures reaching 38.1 degrees Celsius in Kew Gardens on 13 August, marking the hottest day of the year. This brought 2026 to the forefront as the first year to witness three separate days exceeding 37 degrees Celsius. Dr. Mark McCarthy, head of climate attribution at the Met Office, stated that the summer of 2026 exemplifies the kind of extreme weather increasingly linked to human-induced climate change. He explained that in a world without greenhouse gas emissions, such conditions would be extremely rare, an occurrence once in over 1,000 years. Wildfires spread across the UK throughout the summer, fueled by the combination of intense heat and prolonged dry periods. A fire in the Stourbridge area of England’s West Midlands resulted in the destruction of 19 homes in mid-August. In Scotland, a blaze in the Cairngorms mountains burned for over a month, consuming 25 square kilometers of moorland and forest. Similarly, a fire in southern Wales ignited on hills above Blaenavon and persisted for several weeks. Fire and rescue services in England and Wales responded to 1,132 wildfires as of 16 August, a number that exceeds the total count for the entire previous year. The National Fire Chiefs Council reported this surge in incidents. Meanwhile, the Met Office weather station at Wisley in Surrey recorded 62 consecutive days without rain, while stations at Heathrow Airport and Odiham in Hampshire experienced dry spells lasting 56 days. Minister for Climate Transition Katie White commented on the findings, stating that the UK’s hottest summer ever serves as a stark reminder that climate change is already impacting the nation. Despite recent rainfall, the effects of the dry spell and extreme heat persist. Most of England and all of Wales remain under official drought conditions, except for the North East, North West and Yorkshire. Water restrictions have become more widespread, with Bristol Water recently announcing a hosepipe ban. As a result, approximately 30 million people in England face limitations on water usage. Reservoir storage levels in England currently stand at 60%, which is 18 percentage points lower than the seasonal average. Nine reservoirs, including Wimbleball and Clatworthy in Somerset, are classified by the Environment Agency as having exceptionally low water levels.