UK Sees Hottest Summer on Record as Climate Crisis Intensifies

Provisional Met Office data show the UK's summer 2026 was the hottest on record since 1884, with a mean temperature of 16.5C and a peak 38.1C in London; June was the hottest on record, and scientists say the heatwaves were made about 130 times more likely by human-caused climate change. The heat contributed to thousands of excess deaths, drought, and wildfires across Europe, and authorities expect hotter, drier summers to continue. The period has fueled political debate over climate policy in the UK as officials warn this is the new normal under warming conditions.