UK weather: September warmth means 2026 could be one of the warmest years on record
The UK Met Office reports that September 2026 was the joint fourth warmest on record, continuing a trend of above-average temperatures. With consistent warmth throughout the year, 2026 is currently on track to be one of the warmest years in UK history.
Why it matters
The data provides further evidence of long-term climate change patterns and the increasing frequency of extreme temperature anomalies in the United Kingdom.
Image source, Getty Images By Simon King Lead Weather Presenter Published 1 October 2026 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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