England North Climate – June 2026 Update
City Coverage: Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Middlesbrough, Carlisle, and Darlington
This month in numbers
England North experienced its warmest June on record, with a mean temperature of 16°C, an astonishing 3.2°C above the 1961–1990 baseline, ranking 1st out of 127 years. This contributed to the second warmest April–June period on record, with an average temperature of 12.4°C, 2.7°C above average. The region also saw its 3rd sunniest April–June on record, with 637 hours of sunshine, 152 hours more than the average. Globally, June 2026 was the 3rd warmest June for land temperatures on record, with an anomaly of +1°C.
What changed
The exceptional warmth in England North this June is part of a broader pattern seen across the UK and Western Europe. England recorded its warmest June on record, and the UK as a whole experienced its second warmest June since 1884. This region's June anomaly of +3.2°C placed it 27th globally for one-month temperature anomalies, indicating widespread heat. Western Europe collectively recorded its hottest-ever June, with surface air temperatures 3.06°C above average.
What’s driving change?
The record-breaking temperatures in England North, and indeed across much of Europe, were largely driven by an intense and prolonged heatwave at the end of June. This event saw temperatures in parts of England and Wales reach up to 38°C, with a rare red extreme heat warning issued by the Met Office. A defining feature of this heatwave was the exceptionally warm overnight temperatures, with frequent "tropical nights" preventing buildings from cooling and exacerbating heat stress. This pattern is consistent with the broader trend of seasonal shifts, where winters are warming faster than summers at high latitudes, and spring is arriving earlier. The current weak El Niño, with a +0.98°C anomaly in the NOAA ONI 3-month (AMJ 2026) index, is forecast to strengthen into a strong El Niño through the end of the year, which typically brings cooler late winters to Northern Europe, though very strong El Niños have historically resulted in warmer winters. ENSO
Looking ahead
Seasonal forecasts suggest a nearly universal dominance of above-normal temperatures in nearly all parts of the globe for the June-July-August season.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – UK
Source: Met Office UK Regional & National series (Tmean, Rainfall, Sunshine, Air Frost) © Crown copyright. Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) or 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost). See methodology.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – England North
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
England North – Monthly Temperature – All Years
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Records – England North
Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Cfb · TemperateHow spring and autumn have shifted in England North. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (8.0°C, from 1900–1929); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 11.4°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Jun (+2.0°C).
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Sunshine & Frost
Sunshine – Total Hours
Frost Days – Total
Rainfall & Precipitation
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for England North
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in England North changing?
England North is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for England North come from?
Climate data for England North comes from the UK Met Office HadUK-Grid (temperature, rainfall, sunshine, air frost), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the England North climate data cover?
The England North climate profile covers Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Middlesbrough and surrounding areas. Northern England climate data from Tyneside to Cumbria
How often is the England North climate update refreshed?
The England North climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.