England records hottest June in history amid extreme heatwave

England experienced its hottest June since records began in 1884, according to the UK weather agency. The month saw temperatures reach unprecedented levels and was marked by rare extreme heat warnings on several days.

It was also the second-warmest June overall for the UK, with “exceptionally warm overnight temperatures,” the Met Office reported.

The average temperature in England was 17.1 degrees Celsius, slightly higher than 16.9 degrees Celsius in June 2025. The Met Office attributed this warmth to a strong, record-breaking heat wave at the end of the month.

Scientists caution that climate change is making extreme weather events, such as heat waves, more frequent and severe.

Last week, during a heat wave that disrupted Britain’s transport, schools, and hospitals, the June temperature record was broken multiple times, with parts of Europe also scorching.

Climate experts have called on the UK government to upgrade its infrastructure to handle hotter summers, with increased demand for fans and air conditioners — still rare in British homes.

READ MORE: New heat warning issued for large parts of the UK in days

The provisional record for June’s highest temperature was 37.7 degrees Celsius, set on Friday in Norfolk, eastern England.

The World Weather Attribution group stated that climate change was unequivocally responsible for the heat wave’s severity, noting that such extreme June temperatures would have been “virtually impossible” 50 years ago.

Emily Carlisle of the Met Office mentioned that June’s high temperatures are part of a broader warming trend seen throughout 2026, with the UK experiencing above-average temperatures almost every month this year except January.