LONDON: England last month experienced its warmest June since records began in 1884, while the UK recorded its second-warmest June over the same period, the meteorological office said on Tuesday.The announcement of the provisional figures also coincided with Britain recording its hottest day of the year so far, as much of Europe swelters from an early summer heatwave.The mercury hit 33.6 degrees Celcius Tuesday in southeast England, topping the previous hottest day on June 21.The Met Office said England saw a record mean temperature of 16.9 degrees Celcius (62 degrees Fahrenheit) for June. The UK’s mean temperature last month was only surpassed in June 2023, it added.Last month had two heatwaves in parts of England and Wales, which recorded its third warmest June.It followed the UK — otherwise known for its damp and cool weather — also experiencing its warmest and sunniest spring in over a century in 2025.“Past studies have shown it is virtually certain that human influence has increased the occurrence and intensity of extreme heat events such as this,” Met Office climate scientist Amy Doherty said.On June 30, temperatures soared above 32 degrees Celcius, with Wimbledon recording its hottest ever opening day and implementing a heat rule to protect players’ health.Amber heat alerts — which warn of a risk to vulnerable people and pressure on the health service — were in place across parts of England.The UK also saw higher than average sunshine across all four of its nations in June, according to the latest figures.A Met Office study last month said the country could experience more extreme and prolonged heat due to human-driven climate change.Around the world, scientists say the increase in greenhouse gas emissions as a result of burning fossil fuels is driving freak weather events.aks/jj/tw
