Wales Climate – June 2026 Update
City Coverage: Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, Wrexham, Aberystwyth, and Bangor
This month in numbers
Wales experienced its warmest April to June period on record, with the mean temperature reaching an unprecedented 12.53°C, a significant 2.7°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. June 2026 itself was the 2nd warmest June on record for Wales, with a mean temperature of 15.9°C, an anomaly of +3.2°C. This comes amidst a broader pattern of warmth, with global land temperatures in June 2026 ranking as the 3rd warmest on record, and the April-June period as the 2nd warmest globally.
What changed
The past three months have seen Wales record its warmest April–June period in 127 years of records, significantly surpassing the long-term average. This regional trend aligns with a global picture of exceptional warmth, as global land temperatures for the same period ranked as the 2nd warmest on record. Wales's June mean temperature was 3.2°C above average, while the UK as a whole saw a mean temperature 2.4°C above average, indicating that Wales experienced more pronounced warmth compared to the national average.
What’s driving change?
The exceptional warmth in Wales this past quarter, particularly in June, was driven by a significant heatwave across the UK. Wales recorded its hottest June day ever on June 25th, with 35.9°C at Cardiff Bute Park, breaking the previous record set in 2000. This heatwave was also notable for exceptionally warm overnight temperatures, with Wales recording a new high daily minimum temperature of 23.5°C on June 25th, surpassing the previous record from 2023. These prolonged hot conditions, combined with high humidity, led to increased heat stress. The current weak El Niño state, with a weekly Niño 3.4 SST anomaly of +1.8°C, is also contributing to the global warmth, and is forecast to persist through the end of the year. ENSO
Looking ahead
The Met Office long-range forecast suggests that temperatures are likely to remain above normal throughout July, with a greater than normal chance of hot conditions developing at times, particularly across the south.
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 – Wales
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Wales – 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 – Wales
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 Wales. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (8.5°C, from 1900–1929); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 10.6°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 Wales
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 Wales changing?
Wales 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 Wales come from?
Climate data for Wales 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 Wales climate data cover?
The Wales climate profile covers Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, Wrexham and surrounding areas. Welsh climate data spanning the south coast, valleys and west coast
How often is the Wales climate update refreshed?
The Wales 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.