Much of the UK suffered sweltering conditions last week under three of the hottest June days on record, with temperatures soaring to at least 37 degrees in parts of the country.

The conditions experienced so far, this early in the summer, are unprecedented. The hottest May day on record was last month at 35.1 degrees in London.

Last year was also the UK’s hottest year on record. In fact, four out of the five hottest years are the last four consecutive years, and, given the temperatures seen so far this year, 2026 looks like a strong contender to join that list.

The climate is heating up at a rate which is alarming for both the public and for climate scientists. The official UKCP18 climate predictions for 2050 and 2080, used to inform the design of buildings, have been revised upwards this year because of the increased rate of climate heating.

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