Category Archives: United Kingdom

More 2026 UK Heatwaves Are Likely Following 35°C Spring

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On 1 June, the official start of summer, the Met Office released its three-month outlook for the UK.

The meteorological service explained on its site that this outlook is not an exact prediction or a guarantee of what will happen in the season. Instead, they say, it’s about broader trends; you can’t say for sure whether something like a heatwave will happen based on this information.

Nonetheless, they added, the most “notable” part of their most recent outlook is the expected hotter-than-usual UK summer temperatures.

“It follows that there is an increased chance of heatwave conditions developing at times,” they said.

We have already had an unusually hot start to the year, with temperatures reaching a record-breaking 35.1°C in Kew Gardens this May.

The Met Office has previously said that hotter summers are becoming more likely in the UK in general.

When will the next heatwaves be?

This outlook doesn’t aim to calculate exact dates, nor does it say there definitely will be heatwaves.

But it did mention that higher pressure, linked to hotter weather, is expected in the middle of June after a rainy start to the month.

“Towards the end of June, low pressure may begin to have more of an influence, especially across the south, where heavy showers and thunderstorms become more probable. It may also become hot in parts of the south,” the Met Office shared.

Why has this year been so hot?

Even for the UK, 2026′s weather has been especially volatile. We went from record-breaking heatwaves to floods in a matter of days.

The Met Office’s Dr Emily Carlisle previously said this is part of a broader warming trend.

“This spring highlights both the natural variability of the UK’s weather and the longer-term warming we are observing. While conditions varied through the season, all three months of meteorological spring recorded mean temperatures within the UK’s top ten warmest on record,” she stated.

“While we expect fluctuations from year to year, this spring shows some of the changes we’re seeing in our weather patterns, with more extreme conditions becoming more frequent. The fact that nine of the ten warmest springs in England have occurred since 2007 illustrates this ongoing shift in the UK’s climate.”

The Met Office added that factors like the predicted 2026 El Niño can inform their three-month outlooks.

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May’s ‘Beautiful’ Meteor Shower Is About To Have Its Brightest Show

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In April, stargazers got to enjoy the Lyrid meteor shower.

But if you missed it, don’t worry: since April 18, the Eta Aquariid meteor shower has also been falling, and it’s set to peak this week.

Here’s why it happens, when it’ll be at its brightest in the UK, and how to catch it:

What is the Eta Aquariid meteor shower?

As with the Lyrid meteor shower, it’s not that the comets are “shooting” towards us.

They’re part of the debris following a comet (in this case, comet Halley); in our journey around the sun, we pass through this space rubble, some of which then enters our atmosphere.

When they do that, they move so quickly that they compress and superheat the air surrounding them.

That leads to a glowing “head” and, sometimes, a streaking “tail” that stargazers will recognise as part of a meteor shower.

Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG) said on its site, “the beautiful streaks we see in the night sky can actually be caused by particles as small as a grain of sand.”

The debris of Halley’s comet is associated with two meteor showers. The other one, Orionid, is due in October 2026.

When will the Eta Aquariid meteor shower peak in the UK?

In the UK, your best odds are on Wednesday, 6 May, from midnight to dawn. But don’t despair if you miss it.

One of the things that makes the Eta Aquariid meteor shower distinct is that it doesn’t have a “sharp peak”, RMG said.

Instead, brilliant shows tend to cluster around a particular week. In 2026, that’s this week (May 4-10).

How can I see the 2025 Eta Aquariid meteor shower?

Look towards the Eastern horizon in the wee hours of Wednesday.

Steer clear of sources of light pollution, like street lamps, and wait. (Unfortunately, the peak of this meteor shower occurs alongside quite a bright moon, which might make the display less obvious).

The meteors should be visible to the naked eye, so you won’t need any special tools like binoculars.

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What The Renter’s Rights Act May Mean For Landlords And Tenants

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On May 1, 2026, the first phase of the Renter’s Rights Act reforms will come into effect.

The government said the act was created to “empower renters by providing them with greater security, rights and protections so that they can stay in their homes for longer, build lives in their communities, and avoid the risk of homelessness.”

But what does it actually mean for tenants and landlords?

Here’s what Amy Rootham, home insurance expert at Compare the Market, told us about the most important changes for both groups.

How will the Renter’s Rights Act 2026 affect tenants?

“While the Renter’s Rights Act is largely focused on improving protections for tenants, it will also change how renting works day-to-day. Renters will have more flexibility and security, but may also need to plan more carefully around things like moving, budgeting, and maintaining the property,” said Rootham.

She said five significant changes will include:

  1. The end of ‘no-fault evictions’. “The end of ‘no-fault’ evictions means renters have greater protection against being asked to leave without reason. However, the shift to rolling tenancies also means contracts are more open-ended, making longer-term planning feel less predictable.”

  1. Greater flexibility to move. “Tenants will be able to leave with shorter notice, making it easier to relocate for work or personal reasons.”

  1. Better protection against poor living conditions. “Stricter rules on issues like damp and mould should lead to quicker fixes and improved housing standards, giving renters more confidence to raise concerns.”

  1. Easier access to renting with pets. “Tenants will have a stronger right to request a pet, which is a major shift for many households. However, renters should still be mindful of their responsibilities, as they may be expected to cover any damage caused.”

  1. Rent increases will follow a set process. “Under the new rules, landlords will need to use the Section 13 process to increase rent, with increases limited to once per year and at least two months’ written notice required. Tenants may also be able to challenge increases they believe are above market rate.”

How will the Renter’s Rights Act 2026 affect landlords?

Per Rootham, some of the most significant changes for landlords will be:

  1. Rolling tenancies. “As of the 1st May, all fixed-term contracts will move to rolling monthly contracts, removing the certainty of long-term contracts. Landlords must check that their loss-of-rent cover doesn’t lapse or become invalid if a tenant decides to leave. The new regulations mean tenants only need to give a minimum of two months’ notice.”

  1. Extended liability for missed rental payments. “The threshold for mandatory eviction due to arrears is increasing from two months to three. This means landlords could face significantly longer periods without income.”

  1. Stricter health and safety responsibilities. “With Awaab’s Law now applying to the private rented sector, landlords will be legally required to fix hazards like damp and mould within strict timeframes.”

  1. Reduced grounds for refusing pet ownership. ”One of the most significant changes likely to impact landlords relates to pets. Tenants will gain a legal right to request a pet – this cannot be refused without a ‘reasonable’ justification.

    “Crucially, consent will be legally implied unless landlords respond to the request within 28 days.”

  1. Removal of ‘no-fault’ legal protection. “The end of Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions means all expulsions must now go through a ‘Section 8’ court process. This is often slower and more expensive. Landlords should consider reviewing their legal expenses cover to make sure it can help handle these more complex, evidence-based court hearings.”

  1. Mandatory database fees. “Landlords will have to join a new Private Rented Sector Database and an Ombudsman scheme. Unregistered landlords could find their insurance voided if they are not compliant with these new statutory registries.”

Shelter says this could be good news for tenants

Speaking to HuffPost UK, Sarah Elliott, chief executive of housing and homelessness charity Shelter, said: “For too long, renters have stayed silent about discrimination and endured hellish conditions, for fear of losing their homes. The Renters’ Rights Act has the potential to transform private renting, finally freeing tenants from the injustice of no-fault evictions, which have pushed record numbers into homelessness.

“But renters must understand that the current system remains in place until May 1, 2026. Until then, we stand ready to help them understand the vital changes the Act will introduce. Anyone in need of support should visit our website for housing advice or use the webchat to speak to one of our advisers.”

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How Would 2026’s ‘Super El Niño’ Impact The UK?

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This year, multiple weather experts have predicted an El Niño by midsummer.

Some think it could even become a “super El Niño”.

But what does that mean, and how could it affect the UK?

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El Niño forming by May, potentially becoming strong by August — new ECMWF seasonal modeling.

By the numbers:

• 22% chance of a super El Niño by August
• 80% chance of a strong event
• 98% chance of a moderate event

That’s according to data from 50 ensemble members. pic.twitter.com/LDOogrRcEC

— Ben Noll (@BenNollWeather) March 6, 2026

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El Niño forming by May, potentially becoming strong by August — new ECMWF seasonal modeling.

By the numbers:

• 22% chance of a super El Niño by August
• 80% chance of a strong event
• 98% chance of a moderate event

That’s according to data from 50 ensemble members. pic.twitter.com/LDOogrRcEC

— Ben Noll (@BenNollWeather) March 6, 2026

What is an El Niño?

An El Niño happens when the surface of the Pacific Ocean heats up by 0.5°C or more.

During a super El Niño, though, temperatures rise by 1.5-2°C, professor emeritus of Geophysical and Climate Hazards at UCL, Prof Bill McGuire, told HuffPost UK previously.

During both regular and “super” El Niños, extreme weather events like drought and flooding are much more common.

“Broadly speaking, the bigger the El Niño, the greater its impacts on the world’s weather,” Prof Bill McGuire said.

El Niños can also heat up the world as a whole. The 2023-24 El Niño heralded record-breaking temperatures across the globe in 2024.

“The cost of weather disruption caused by the super El Niños of 1982-83 and 1997-98 has been calculated as being in the trillions of dollars,” Prof McGuire added.

Usually, the most immediate results are seen in countries on or near the Pacific, like Australia, Indonesia, Peru, Ecuador, and the Philippines.

How would an El Niño impact the UK?

In the short term, the effects of El Niños tend to reach us a little later than those in the middle of the event.

It might make our summers a little hotter. It could also make our winters a lot colder, though that’s not a given.

But Prof McGuire said the longer-term impacts might be more significant here, even though the UK’s experience of El Ninos typically “lags” behind other countries’.

“A super El Niño later this year is likely to see the global average temperature rise since pre-industrial times smashed again, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see both this year and next breaching the 1.5°C dangerous climate change guardrail,” he said.

That would affect the UK, as experts have cautioned that going over 1.5°C of global warming could lead a million more square miles of permafrost to thaw.

That might mean sea levels could rise from one to three feet by the end of the century, devastating coastal communities. That may bring about mass displacement and conflict.

Though the UK might not see the most extreme results of the possible super El Niño the fastest, the weather phenomenon could have truly global consequences.

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