UK records hottest day of the year as Kew Gardens reaches 38.1C
LONDON, Aug. 13, 2026 — Britain recorded its hottest day of the year on Thursday when temperatures at Kew Gardens in west London hit 38.1C,
LONDON, Aug. 13, 2026 — Britain recorded its hottest day of the year on Thursday when temperatures at Kew Gardens in west London hit 38.1C, the Met Office said. It was the country’s fifth hottest day on record, and the latest spike in a summer that has already brought repeated heat alerts.
The reading at Kew Gardens edged past the 38C reached in Lingwood, Norfolk, on June 26. Charlwood in Surrey and Pershore in Worcestershire both registered 37.8C, while Wisley reached 37.2C. The Met Office said the latest extreme spell marks the UK’s fifth heatwave of the year.
Health warnings across England
An amber heat health alert covered all of England until 21:00 BST on Friday, warning of significant harm to health and pressure on social care services. Forecasters said the heat could strain transport and other infrastructure as roads and railway lines were pushed beyond the conditions they are built for.
“People were walking in off the street, melting,” said Suzanne Badger, front of house manager at the Pickled Plum pub in Pershore. “We usually say it’s hotter in the kitchen than outside — but today it’s hotter out there.”
A summer of records
The Met Office said this summer is on course to be the UK’s hottest since records began. Thursday also marked only the second time temperatures of 38C have been recorded twice in a single calendar year; the previous year was 2022.
It has been a record-breaking run. In 2026, the UK has already seen four days at 36C or above, and three separate days above 37C. The country has now matched 2022 for two days reaching 38C, while remaining below the UK’s August record of 38.5C set in 2003.
Hotter in Europe, too
The British heat came as western Europe endured another fierce spell of weather. France also faced its fifth heatwave of the year, with temperatures approaching 41C in some areas, from Aquitaine in the southwest to the Rhone valley in the east. The most intense heat was forecast to shift eastward on Friday before easing over the weekend.
Across Britain and France, the summer has exposed how poorly much of the region is adapted to sustained extremes. Air conditioning remains uncommon outside shops and offices. Thursday’s 38.1C at Kew Gardens was another sharp reminder — and the day was not even close to Britain’s all-time high.
