Buxton’s hottest day on record: 35.9°C

Summary of the 1875–2026 period

Buxton’s climate is cool and damp, but the records show that extreme heat can still arrive. The highest temperature ever recorded in the series is 35.9°C on 20 July 2022. That day stands apart from any other summer day in the station’s history. The second‑warmest date is 19 July 2022 with 34.2°C, which means the two hottest days in 151 years occurred within 24 hours of each other.

Summer months are the warmest on average: July has a mean daily maximum of 18.2°C and August 17.9°C, while June sits at 16.8°C. But the top daily maximum recorded in each month reveals how much the extremes deviate from those averages. For July, the monthly record is 35.9°C, the same as the absolute record, while August’s highest is 32.7°C and June’s is 32.0°C.

Looking at the yearly figures, 2022 stands out with a maximum of 35.9°C and a mean maximum of 12.9°C, the joint highest mean along with 2025. The coldest year in the series appears to be 1977, when the mean maximum was only 9.4°C. The lowest minimum temperature ever recorded is –17.2°C, which happened in 1940.

Mean daily maximum temperatures by month

The warmest months are clearly July and August, but the monthly maximum records show that June can get almost as hot as August (32.0°C vs 32.7°C). September, with 26.7°C, and May, with 29.9°C, also produce notable heat. The coolest month by far is January, with an average daily maximum of 4.8°C and an absolute monthly record of only 13.3°C.

The 5 hottest days ever recorded

The five warmest days in Buxton’s history are concentrated in three distinct heat episodes: the exceptional July 2022 heatwave (two days in a row), a hot spell in early August 1990, and a late‑June day in 2026. Notably, the 2022 event is far above the rest, with the all‑time record 35.9°C surpassing the second‑hottest day (34.2°C) by a wide margin. The 1990 and 2026 events are more typical of regional summer heat, with values between 32.7°C and 31.0°C.

Annual maximum temperature by year

The chart shows the complete annual series. The table lists the most notable years; the full series comes from Met Office.

The annual table shows how rare 35.9°C is. Until 2022, the highest yearly max had been 32.7°C in 1990. The years 2003 (30.7°C) and 2006 (30.1°C) are the only other years above 30°C. 2026 has already reached 32.0°C by the end of June. The table also reveals the coldest minima, with 1940 hitting –17.2°C, 1947 –16.7°C and 1963 –14.4°C.

Frequently asked questions

When was the hottest day ever in Buxton?

The hottest temperature recorded in the series from 1875 to 2026 is 35.9°C, which occurred on 20 July 2022. That value is the absolute maximum for the entire buxton station record.

What is the warmest month on average?

July has the highest mean daily maximum at 18.2°C, followed by August with 17.9°C and June with 16.8°C. January is the coldest month, with a mean daily maximum of just 4.8°C.

Which year had the highest maximum temperature before 2022?

Before the 2022 heatwave, the highest annual maximum was 32.7°C in 1990, recorded on 4 August. The same year also saw 31.0°C on 3 August, placing two days in the all‑time top five.

How do the 2022 heatwave days compare to other top days?

The two 2022 days (35.9°C and 34.2°C) are far above the rest. The third‑hottest day, 32.7°C on 4 August 1990, is more than 3°C cooler than the record. A separate day in 2026 reached 32.0°C, equal to the June record.

Where is Buxton’s temperature measured?

Data comes from the Met Office station with identifier 00539, located in Buxton, Derbyshire. The series covers daily observations spanning January 1875 through June 2026.

Has the frequency of extreme heat increased recently?

The data shows that the three hottest years with values above 30°C are 1990, 2003, 2006 and 2026, plus 2022 with the exceptional 35.9°C. The highest mean annual maximum on record is 13.2°C in 2017, with 2022 and 2025 close behind at 12.9°C.