England South Climate – June 2026 Update
City Coverage: London, Southampton, Portsmouth, Brighton, Oxford, and Reading
This month in numbers
England South experienced its warmest June on record, with a mean temperature of 17.7°C, an anomaly of +3.7°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. This makes June 2026 the 1st warmest June in 127 years of records. The April–June 2026 period was also the warmest on record, at 14.03°C, an anomaly of +3.1°C. Sunshine for April–June was the 3rd highest on record, with 691 hours, an impressive 159 hours above average. Furthermore, June recorded 0 frost days, ranking as the 93rd lowest for frost days in 96 years of records, meaning virtually no mornings scraping ice off the car.
What changed
The exceptionally warm June contributed to England South being ranked 18th globally for its 1-month temperature anomaly, at +3.69°C. This region's mean temperature for June was significantly higher than the UK national average of 15.33°C, indicating a more pronounced warming trend in the south. The UK as a whole also experienced its second warmest June globally, with an average surface air temperature of 16.54°C.
What’s driving change?
The extreme heat in England South during June was largely driven by a heat dome, a stalled high-pressure system that trapped hot air over Western Europe. This led to a rare red warning for extreme heat being issued across parts of England and Wales, with temperatures reaching up to 40°C in some areas. This exceptional heatwave was part of a broader pattern across Western Europe, which experienced its warmest June on record. The current weak El Niño, with a weekly Niño 3.4 SST anomaly of +1.8°C, is also a contributing factor. El Niño events can influence global weather patterns, and for the UK, they tend to weaken the Atlantic jet stream, potentially leading to warmer and drier conditions, particularly in southern and central regions. The extra heat and moisture released into the atmosphere by El Niño can also amplify extreme weather events, making heatwaves hotter and rainstorms more intense. More information on the current ENSO state can be found at ENSO.
Looking ahead
The forecast indicates a 100% probability of El Niño persisting through to October–December 2026, suggesting a continued likelihood of warmer conditions.
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 South
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
England South – 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 South
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 South. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (9.2°C, from 1900–1929); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 11.9°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Jun (+2.1°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 South
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 South changing?
England South 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 South come from?
Climate data for England South 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 South climate data cover?
The England South climate profile covers London, Southampton, Portsmouth, Brighton and surrounding areas. Southern England climate data across the south coast and inland south
How often is the England South climate update refreshed?
The England South 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.