UK on track for one of the warmest years on record after warm September
The UK experienced its joint fourth warmest September on record, continuing a trend of temperatures consistently above the long-term average. Climate scientists note that this fits a broader pattern of warming, putting 2026 on track to be one of the hottest years in history.
Why it matters
Consistent temperature anomalies provide further evidence of climate change, impacting agricultural, economic, and public health planning in the UK.
Image source, DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images By Simon King Lead Weather Presenter Published 35 minutes ago September was provisionally the joint fourth warmest on record for the United Kingdom, according to figures from the Met Office.
And for the eighth month in a row, the average UK temperature was more than 1C above the norm.
With warmer than average weather forecast for the rest of the year, we're on track for 2026 to be one of the warmest years on record.
While there was some rainfall throughout September, most of it fell in Scotland, while eastern and south-east England had another drier-than-average month.
Overall September was an unsettled and - on the face of it - unremarkable month for weather.
But, it has still ended up being the joint fourth warmest on record.
With a mean average temperature of 14.6C, it was 1.6C above the long-term average.
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