September 2026 brought a warm month across the UK, with county-level statistics showing temperatures above average almost everywhere.
While much of England experienced a relatively dry month, wetter conditions were more frequent across western and northern Scotland, creating a marked rainfall contrast across the country
Temperatures consistently above average
A defining feature of September was the widespread warmth. Maximum, minimum and mean temperatures were above average across all counties in the dataset, indicating that warmer-than-normal conditions extended from southern England to northern Scotland.
The highest average maximum temperatures were recorded across south-east England. Greater London recorded an average maximum temperature of 22.9°C while Essex and Surrey both exceeded 22°C, alongside Cambridgeshire, Kent, Berkshire and Hertfordshire. Temperature anomalies were particularly notable in Greater London, where maximum temperatures were 3.1°C above average, and in Surrey where temperatures were 3.0°C above average.
Overnight temperatures were also unusually mild. The highest minimum temperatures were observed the Isle of Wight at 13.9°C. Across many counties in southern and eastern England, minimum temperatures were more than 2°C above average, reflecting the persistence of mild air throughout the month.
Mean temperatures reinforced this picture. The highest monthly mean temperature was recorded in Greater London at 18.0°C and Essex, the Isle of Wight and Suffolk at around 17.5°C. Most counties recorded mean temperature anomalies between 1°C and 3°C above average, highlighting the widespread nature of the warmth.
You can explore this data using our interactive graphic below
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Drier than average across much of England
Rainfall figures show that many areas of England experienced a relatively dry September, particularly across central, eastern and southern counties.
East Riding of Yorkshire recorded just 13.3mm of rainfall during the month, while Lincolnshire received 17.5mm and Tyne and Wear recorded 20.0mm. Nottinghamshire recorded 23.1mm, Rutland 24.5mm and Berkshire 26.6mm. These counties all received substantially less rainfall than is typical for September, with rainfall percentages generally between 20% and 60% of average.
Many counties across southern England also saw below-average rainfall. Hampshire recorded 35.9mm, West Sussex 36.1mm, Gloucestershire 36.6mm and Bristol 37.2mm. The rainfall deficits reflected a month in which periods of settled weather frequently dominated, limiting the number of significant rainfall events.
Wetter conditions in the north and west
Further north and west, rainfall totals were considerably higher as Atlantic weather systems had a greater influence.
The wettest counties were concentrated across western and northern Scotland. Argyll and Bute recorded 265.7mm of rainfall during September, while Ross and Cromarty received 265.2mm. Inverness recorded 231.0mm and the Western Isles 217.7mm. Several of these locations experienced rainfall totals more than 140% of their long-term averages.
Elsewhere across Scotland, substantial rainfall totals were also recorded in Stirling and Falkirk (200.0mm), Sutherland (185.4mm), Renfrewshire (173.8mm) and Ayrshire and Arran (173.1mm). This contrasted sharply with the much drier conditions experienced across much of England.
Wales generally fell between these two extremes. Counties such as Dyfed, West Glamorgan and Powys recorded rainfall totals close to average, while Gwent and South Glamorgan finished somewhat drier than normal.
All Northern Ireland counties recorded above average rainfall. The highest monthly total was 126.6mm recorded in County Antrim, 144% of the September long term average.
You can explore this data using our interactive graphic below
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A warm start to autumn
Taken together, the statistics show September 2026 was a warm month across the UK. Every county recorded temperatures above average, with the most significant anomalies concentrated across southern and eastern England.
Rainfall, however, told a more varied story. While many English counties experienced a dry month with rainfall totals well below average, western and northern Scotland as well as Northern Ireland saw frequent Atlantic weather systems bringing significantly wetter conditions. The result was a pronounced north-west to south-east contrast, making September 2026 a month of warmth combined with markedly different rainfall patterns across the UK.
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