The UK should urgently prepare for summer temperatures above 40°C (104°F), the Met Office warns, as extreme heat becomes increasingly likely due to climate change.
In July 2022, the UK recorded its highest temperature ever—40.3°C (104.5°F)—a heatwave scientists say was made at least 10 times more likely by global warming.
Now, Met Office researchers warn these extremes may become frequent. Using simulations of over 2,500 UK summers, they found a 50% chance of temperatures topping 40°C within the next 12 years, especially in southern and eastern England. The likelihood of this level of heat has risen sixfold since the 1980s and nearly tripled since 2000.
As the Met Office warns of increasing summer heat, a 2025 study in the scientific journal Nature highlights the deadly toll of extreme temperatures, projecting a 50% increase in heat-related deaths across Europe by 2100. This research analyzed future mortality risks from heat and cold in 854 European cities, factoring in climate change, demographics, and adaptation scenarios. In this gallery, we’ll dive deep into the study and bring you the highlights. Click on to learn more.