Midlands Climate – June 2026 Update
City Coverage: Birmingham, Coventry, Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Stoke-on-Trent, and Wolverhampton
This month in numbers
June 2026 was the warmest June on record for the Midlands, with an average temperature of 17.3°C, a significant 3.7°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. This makes it the 1st warmest June in 127 years of records. The three-month period from April to June 2026 also ranked as the 1st warmest on record, with an average temperature of 13.53°C, an anomaly of +3.1°C. Sunshine was also notable, with April–June 2026 being the 3rd sunniest on record, providing 656 hours of sunshine, 166 hours above average. Furthermore, June saw zero frost days, ranking it among the bottom 5 for frost days in June over 96 years of records.
What changed
The Midlands experienced a significantly warmer and sunnier start to summer compared to the national picture, which also saw above-average temperatures across the UK in June. The region's mean temperature for June was 17.3°C, compared to the UK average of 15.33°C. The Midlands was the 17th warmest region globally for the latest month's anomaly, at +3.72°C, indicating a particularly pronounced warming trend here. The UK as a whole has seen every region record mean temperatures above the 1991-2020 average in June 2026.
What’s driving change?
The exceptional warmth in the Midlands this month, including a heatwave in mid-June with temperatures reaching up to 33°C in Birmingham and potentially higher elsewhere, was driven by a combination of factors. A developing weak El Niño, with a current anomaly of +0.98°C, is contributing to a warmer global baseline, upon which regional weather patterns are now intensifying. The World Meteorological Organisation has indicated an 80% likelihood of an El Niño event during June to August 2026, with probabilities near or above 90% that it will continue until at least November. This El Niño is expected to be at least moderate and possibly strong. While El Niño's direct impacts on the UK are typically indirect, it can increase the likelihood of more unsettled conditions later in the year. The broader seasonal picture from the WMO's Global Seasonal Climate Update for May to July 2026 indicated a strong signal of warmer-than-normal conditions across Europe and Northern Africa, which is significant for the UK as severe heat often arrives when high pressure allows hot air to move north from Europe. The effect would also have exacerbated temperatures in built-up areas.
Looking ahead
The ongoing El Niño is expected to strengthen through the remainder of the year, with forecasts suggesting it could be a very strong event, potentially leading to a temporary spike in global annual temperatures.
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 – Midlands
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Midlands – 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 – Midlands
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 Midlands. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (8.6°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 (+2.2°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 Midlands
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 Midlands changing?
Midlands 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 Midlands come from?
Climate data for Midlands 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 Midlands climate data cover?
The Midlands climate profile covers Birmingham, Coventry, Nottingham, Derby and surrounding areas. Midlands climate data from the West Midlands to the East Midlands
How often is the Midlands climate update refreshed?
The Midlands 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.