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Dry soils and warm seas pushed UK to hottest summer on record

Wildfire breaks out in London amid latest heatwave warning
  • The UK officially experienced its hottest summer on record in 2025, with a mean temperature of 16.10C between 1 June and 31 August.
  • This new record surpasses the previous high of 15.76C set in 2018, making it the warmest summer since records began.
  • The persistent warmth, driven by high-pressure systems, warm seas, and dry spring soils, led to back-to-back heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires across the country.
  • The Met Office attributes the increasing baseline temperatures to climate change, projecting that future UK summers will become even hotter and drier.
  • September is forecast to bring unsettled and often rainy conditions.
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