Why the Met Office is forecasting more heatwaves this summer

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3 Jun 2026 • 5:23 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Why the Met Office is forecasting more heatwaves this summer

  • The Met Office has forecasted a higher-than-normal chance of a hot summer and heatwaves for the UK over the next three months.
  • This outlook follows England and Wales experiencing their warmest spring on record, and the UK's third warmest.
  • The warming UK climate and a likely El Niño weather event are cited as the primary drivers for the summer forecast.
  • June is expected to start with Atlantic frontal systems bringing showers, transitioning to more settled and drier conditions later in the month, with potential for heavy showers and hot weather in the south by late June.
  • A Met Office scientist noted the increasing frequency of extreme weather and the ongoing shift in the UK's climate, with nine of the ten warmest springs in England occurring since 2007.

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