Britain’s record-breaking summer to end as autumn temperatures arrive
After a record-breaking summer marked by five heatwaves, Britain is set to turn cooler from Wednesday, following a few more warm days. The shift brings more typical autumn temperatures and rain, while the prolonged heat and dryness have also affected crops and trees.
Temperatures of at least 20C have been recorded somewhere in Britain every day since 11 June; highs could reach 23C in southern England on Monday and 21C in London on Tuesday, before dropping to the mid-teens. September was the fourth warmest on record, with a mean temperature of 14.6C, while Kew Gardens reached 28.1C late in the month. Somerset cider growers report a crop around 50 per cent lower than last year, and the National Trust expects autumn colour to vary, with some trees stressed and flowering patterns disrupted.
- Cooler autumn weather is expected from Wednesday.
- Britain recorded daily temperatures of at least 20C since 11 June.
- Somerset cider apple yields are down about 50 per cent.
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Britain has experienced an exceptionally hot summer in 2026. Since mid-June, temperatures of at least 20C have been recorded somewhere in the country every single day, with five separate heatwaves occurring throughout the season and September becoming the fourth warmest month on record.
The prolonged heat and dryness have had significant impacts on British agriculture and the natural environment. Cider growers in Somerset have reported apple crops around 50 per cent lower than usual, whilst trees across the country have been stressed by the conditions, disrupting their flowering patterns and growth.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Cool! That long, hot summer gives way to autumn at last as Met Office warns it’s ‘turning colder for all’”.