August 2026 brought above-average temperatures to every region included in the data, although the size of the anomalies varied considerably.
The largest departures from average were recorded in southern England, which also had the highest sunshine totals and lowest rainfall. Scotland remained closer to average for temperature and recorded below-average sunshine, while North Scotland was the only region with above-average rainfall.
Temperature
Southeastern and central south England was the warmest region across all three temperature measures. Its average maximum temperature reached 26.0°C, which was 4.0°C above average. The region’s average minimum temperature was 13.6°C, some 1.2°C above average, while its mean temperature of 19.7°C was 2.6°C above average. These were the highest actual values and largest anomalies for maximum, minimum and mean temperature in the regional data.
East Anglia recorded the second-highest temperatures. Its average maximum was 25.3°C, which was 2.9°C above average. Minimum temperatures averaged 13.2°C, an anomaly of 0.8°C, while the mean temperature reached 19.2°C, some 1.8°C above average.
The Midlands recorded an average maximum temperature of 24.2°C. This was 3.3°C above average, the third-largest maximum-temperature anomaly in the data. Its average minimum was 12.3°C, or 0.7°C above average, and its mean temperature of 18.2°C was 2.0°C above average.
Southwest England and south Wales also experienced notably high daytime temperatures. The regional average maximum of 23.5°C was 3.6°C above average, second only to the 4.0°C anomaly in southeastern and central south England. Its average minimum was 12.5°C, which was 0.7°C above average, while its mean temperature reached 17.9°C, an anomaly of 2.1°C.
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Eastern and northeastern England recorded an average maximum of 22.1°C, 2.1°C above average. Its minimum averaged 11.8°C, or 0.7°C above average, while the mean temperature was 16.9°C, some 1.4°C higher than average. Northwest England and north Wales had an average maximum of 21.0°C, an anomaly of 2.2°C. Its minimum of 11.7°C was 0.5°C above average, with the mean temperature reaching 16.3°C, or 1.3°C above average.
Temperature anomalies were smaller across Scotland. East Scotland recorded a maximum of 18.2°C, a minimum of 10.2°C and a mean of 14.1°C. Each measure was 0.8°C above average. West Scotland recorded a maximum of 18.1°C, a minimum of 10.7°C and a mean of 14.3°C, with all three values 0.6°C above average.
North Scotland recorded the lowest maximum and mean temperatures, at 16.4°C and 13.1°C respectively. These were 0.2°C and 0.3°C above average. Its minimum temperature averaged 10.0°C, or 0.6°C above average. Every temperature value in all nine regions therefore finished above its corresponding average.
You can explore these records using the interactive graph below.
Rainfall
Rainfall totals ranged from 35.2mm in southeastern and central south England to 130.0mm in North Scotland. Eight of the nine regions recorded below-average rainfall, with North Scotland the only exception. Its total of 130.0mm was equivalent to 106% of average.
West Scotland received 105.9mm, the second-highest total, although this represented only 75% of average. Northwest England and north Wales recorded 85.6mm, or 78%, while East Scotland received 70.6mm, equivalent to 73% of average.
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Eastern and northeastern England received 66.7mm, representing 91% of average. This was the closest any of the eight drier-than-average regions came to its usual rainfall level. Southwest England and south Wales recorded 63.7mm, or 65%, while the Midlands received 61.8mm, equivalent to 88%.
East Anglia received 42.7mm, representing 71% of average. Southeastern and central south England was the driest region both by rainfall amount and relative to average, recording 35.2mm, equivalent to 56%.
You can explore these records using the interactive graph below.
Sunshine
All six regions covering England or parts of Wales recorded above-average sunshine, while each of the three Scottish regions finished below average.
Southeastern and central south England recorded the highest total, with 284.4 hours of sunshine, equivalent to 141% of average. Southwest England and south Wales had 251.7 hours, but its figure of 144% was the highest relative sunshine total in the data.
East Anglia recorded 254.6 hours, or 130% of average, while the Midlands received 229.7 hours, equivalent to 131%. Eastern and northeastern England recorded 198.0 hours, or 114%, and northwest England and north Wales received 178.9 hours, representing 115% of average.
West Scotland was the sunniest Scottish region, with 121.5 hours, although this represented only 86% of average. East Scotland recorded 119.7 hours, or 83%, while North Scotland had the lowest sunshine total at 90.9 hours, equivalent to 74% of average.
You can explore these records using the interactive graph below.
Where does the data come from?
The Met Office’s monthly climate statistics use HadUK‑Grid data to work out county, regional and UK‑wide averages. The dataset takes weather observations from across the country and interpolates them across the UK onto a 1km x 1km grid, covering every part of the UK. Some of these records stretch all the way back to 1836, meaning we have almost 200 years of data to put today’s changing climate into context.
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