The United Kingdom weather records show the most extreme weather ever recorded in the United Kingdom, such as temperature, wind speed, and rainfall records. Reliable temperature records for the whole of the United Kingdom go back to about 1880.
Records Daily records unless otherwise specified are from 0900-2100 UTC. As of 13 August 2026, the records, as recorded by the Met Office, are:
Temperature and sunshine records Highest temperature by constituent country Constituent country Temperature Date Place(s) England 19 July 2022 Coningsby, Lincolnshire Wales 18 July 2022 Hawarden, Flintshire Scotland 19 July 2022 Charterhall, Scottish Borders Northern Ireland 21 July 2021 Castlederg, County Tyrone
Earlier records for England/UK since 1911 are shown with a * in the "Top 10 hottest days" table below.
Top 10 hottest days by maximum temperatures recorded in the UK Rank Temperature Date Place(s) Notes1 *19 July 2022Coningsby, LincolnshirePart of the 2022 heatwave2 *25 July 2019Cambridge, CambridgeshirePart of the 2019 heatwave3 *10 August 2003Faversham, KentPart of the 2003 heatwave4=18 July 2022Pitsford, NorthamptonshirePart of the aforementioned 2022 heatwave4=13 August 2026Hartpury College, GloucestershirePart of the 2026 heatwave626 June 2026Lingwood, NorfolkPart of the aforementioned 2026 heatwave731 July 2020London Heathrow Airport, Greater London825 June 2026Yeovilton, SomersetPart of the aforementioned 2026 heatwave9 *3 August 1990Cheltenham, GloucestershirePart of the 1990 heatwave10= *9 August 1911Raunds, NorthamptonshirePart of the 1911 heatwave10=1 July 2015London Heathrow Airport, Greater London
Hottest days by month of the year Month Temperature Date Place(s)January28 January 2024Achfary, SutherlandFebruary26 February 2019Kew Gardens, LondonMarch29 March 1968Mepal, CambridgeshireApril16 April 1949Camden Square, LondonMay26 May 2026Kew Gardens, LondonJune26 June 2026Lingwood, NorfolkJuly19 July 2022Coningsby, LincolnshireAugust10 August 2003Faversham, KentSeptember2 September 1906Bawtry, South YorkshireOctober1 October 2011Gravesend, KentNovember1 November 2015Trawsgoed, CeredigionDecember28 December 2019Achfary, Sutherland
Coldest days by month of the year Month Temperature Date Place(s)January10 January 1982Braemar, AberdeenshireFebruary11 February 1895Braemar, AberdeenshireMarch14 March 1958Logie Coldstone, AberdeenshireApril2 April 1917Eskdalemuir, Dumfries and GallowayMay4 May 1941Lynford, Norfolk11 May 1941Lynford, Norfolk15 May 1941Fort Augustus, HighlandJune9 June 1955Dalwhinnie, Highland1 June 1962Santon Downham, Norfolk3 June 1962Santon Downham, NorfolkJuly15 July 1977Lagganlia, Highland9 July 1986St Harmon, RadnorshireAugust21 August 1973Lagganlia, HighlandSeptember26 September 1942Dalwhinnie, HighlandOctober28 October 1948Dalwhinnie, HighlandNovember14 November 1919Braemar, AberdeenshireDecember30 December 1995Altnaharra, Highland
Lowest temperature by constituent country Constituent Nation Temperature Date Place(s) Scotland 11 February 1895 and 10 January 1982 Braemar, Aberdeenshire 30 December 1995 Altnaharra, Sutherland England 10 January 1982 Newport, Shropshire Wales 21 January 1940 Rhayader, Radnorshire Northern Ireland 24 December 2010 Castlederg, County Tyrone
Most hours of sunshine Record Duration Location DateHighest monthly total (UK national average) 266 hours UK (national average) May 2020Highest monthly total (England) 383.9 hours Eastbourne, Sussex July 1911Highest monthly total (Northern Ireland) 301.3 hours Magilligan, County Londonderry May 2025Highest monthly total (Scotland) 329.1 hours Tiree, Argyll & Bute May 1975Highest monthly total (Wales) 354.3 hours Dale Fort, Pembrokeshire July 1955
Rainfall records Most rainfall in periods of time Duration Amount Place(s) Date Short DurationsHighest 5-min totalPreston, Lancashire10 August 1893Highest 30-min totalEskdalemuir, Dumfries and Galloway26 June 1953Highest 60-min totalMaidenhead, Berkshire12 July 1901Highest 90-min totalDunsop Valley, Lancashire8 August 1967Highest 120-min totalWalshaw Dean Lodge, West Yorkshire19 May 1989Highest 155-min totalHampstead, Greater London14 August 1975Highest 180-min totalHorncastle, Lincolnshire7 October 1960Highest total in any 24-hour periodHonister Pass, Cumbria4 December 2015 1800 UTC - 5 December 2015 1800 UTC Consecutive Rainfall Days (0900 UTC - 0900 UTC)Highest 1-day totalMartinstown, Dorset18 July 1955Highest 1-day total (UK national average)UK (national average)3 October 2020Highest 2-day total Thirlmere, Cumbria4 to 5 December 2015Highest 3-day total Seathwaite, Cumbria17 to 19 November 2009Highest 4-day total 16 to 19 November 2009Highest monthly totalCrib Goch, Snowdon1 to 31 December 2015Highest annual totalSprinkling Tarn, Cumbria1 January to 31 December 1954
Wind records Highest wind speed Ground LevelWind speedLocationDate mph km/h knots Low level (up to 500 m) 142 228 123 Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire 13 February 1989 High level (above 500 m) 173 278 150 Cairn Gorm, Scottish Highlands 20 March 1986
Shetland holds the unofficial British record for wind speed. A gust of was reported on 1 January 1992. An earlier gust in 1962 was recorded at , both at RAF Saxa Vord. However, it is expected that higher gusts than those reported would have been achieved as during both storms the measuring equipment was destroyed by the extreme weather.
A wind gust of was recorded at Cairn Gorm on 19 December 2008 but was discovered too late to be verified by the Met Office.
The highest wind speed in England was a wind gust of recorded at The Needles, Isle of Wight, on 18 February 2022 during Storm Eunice.
Snowfall records Most snowfall in a day Amount Location DateGreatest depth in an inhabited area Forest-in-Teesdale, County Durham 14 March 1947
Other notable records Atmospheric pressure Record Level Location Date Highest Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire 31 January 1902 Lowest Ochtertyre, Perthshire 26 January 1884
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References