Wet start to autumn as Met Office expected to confirm hottest summer on record

Several records tumbled in the summer of 2026, which the Met Office is expected to confirm as the hottest on record in provisional figures.

Wet and windy weather is hitting parts of the UK on the first day of September as the Met Office is expected to confirm that summer 2026 was the hottest on record.

Several records tumbled as five heatwaves hit the country this meteorological summer, which ended on Monday.

The Met Office previously said the UK was on course for its hottest summer on record, provided temperatures remained around average for the rest of August, and it is expected that final figures for the month will mean the previous record is broken.

The national weather service began recording this temperature data for the UK in 1884 and usually confirms its provisional seasonal figures on the first day of the new season.

Summer 2025 is currently the UK’s hottest on record, when the mean average temperature across June, July and August was 16.10C, beating the previous seasonal high of 15.76C set in 2018.

As the first day of meteorological autumn arrived, five flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible, were in place for England, with wet and windy conditions forecast across the North West and in Scotland.

Elsewhere, conditions were drier with only scattered showers expected.

Further into September, forecasters say an period of unsettled weather is likely, but more rain is expected in northern and western areas, while the South and East are more likely to see longer, drier spells.

Most of England and the whole of Wales remain in drought and experts say drought conditions will continue to worsen until there is sustained rainfall across the country.