Climate crisis driving surge in extreme heat
The UK has recorded its hottest summer since 1884, the Met Office has confirmed, with experts pointing to human-induced climate change as the driving force behind the exceptional warmth. Scientists warn that such extreme conditions are becoming increasingly likely as the planet continues to heat.
The milestone comes in the same year that the world logged its hottest summer on record, with vast parts of Europe battling dangerous heatwaves that triggered destructive wildfires in Spain, Portugal, and other regions.
New temperature record set for the season
From June through August, the UK’s mean temperature stood at 16.10°C (60.98°F), exceeding the previous record of 15.76°C set in 2018. This summer’s figure was 1.51°C higher than the nation’s long-term seasonal average.
Mark McCarthy, head of climate attribution at the Met Office, said the findings are a clear reflection of greenhouse gas emissions built up since the industrial era. “What was once seen as rare or extreme is now part of Britain’s climate reality,” he explained.
Hotter summers expected ahead
Met Office scientists caution that the likelihood of even warmer summers in the near future is rising. “The kinds of temperatures we used to call extremes are becoming part of the norm,” McCarthy said.
This year brought four heatwaves to the UK. The highest reading reached 35.8°C in Faversham, Kent — lower than the all-time national high of 40.3°C recorded in July 2022, but still well above the usual expectations for the season.
