Scotland East Climate – June 2026 Update
City Coverage: Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen, Perth, and St Andrews
This month in numbers
Scotland East experienced its 3rd warmest June on record, with a mean temperature of 13.3°C, a significant 2°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. This contributed to the period of April–June 2026 ranking as the 2nd warmest on record for the region, with an average of 10.17°C, nearly 2°C higher than the baseline. Globally, June 2026 was the 3rd warmest June on record for land temperatures, and the April–June period was the 2nd warmest globally.
What changed
The sustained warmth in Scotland East during June and the preceding months stands out, especially when compared to the national picture. While the entire UK experienced above-average temperatures in June, Scotland East's anomaly of +2°C was particularly pronounced. The region's long-term trend shows a warming of +1.13°C against the 1961–1990 baseline, with 2025 being the warmest year on record at 8.48°C.
What’s driving change?
The significant warmth experienced in Scotland East is influenced by a combination of factors. The current weak El Niño, with a Niño 3.4 SST anomaly of +1.8°C, is expected to persist and strengthen throughout the year, potentially contributing to milder, wetter, and windier conditions in Northern Europe later in the year. While El Niño's direct impact on the UK is typically indirect, it can exacerbate existing natural weather patterns. Additionally, a heat dome settled over parts of the UK in late June, bringing exceptionally high temperatures, though Scotland East did not break its June maximum temperature record. However, this warm spell was followed by widespread thunderstorms across Scotland on June 26, bringing heavy rain, hail, and lightning.
Looking ahead
Seasonal forecasts suggest that the strengthening El Niño is likely to continue, potentially leading to milder, wetter, and windier conditions across Northern Europe during the autumn and early winter months.
Sources:
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 – Scotland East
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Scotland East – 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 – Scotland East
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 Scotland East. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (6.6°C, from 1900–1929); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 10.8°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: May (+1.9°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 Scotland East
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 Scotland East changing?
Scotland East 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 Scotland East come from?
Climate data for Scotland East 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 Scotland East climate data cover?
The Scotland East climate profile covers Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen, Perth and surrounding areas. Eastern Scotland climate data from Edinburgh to Aberdeen
How often is the Scotland East climate update refreshed?
The Scotland East 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.