Sheffield's hottest day ever: 39.4°C

Summary of the period 1882–2026

The complete daily series for the sheffield station covers from 1882-12-01 to 2026-06-30. Over this long record, the absolute maximum temperature is 39.4°C, measured on 19 July 2022. That day also had a minimum temperature of 21.9°C and a mean temperature of 30.6°C, making it an exceptional summer day even for the warmest month.

Looking at monthly averages, July is the warmest month on average, with a mean daily maximum of 20.4°C. August follows closely with a mean maximum of 20.0°C. The hottest months in terms of record extremes are July (39.4°C) and August (34.3°C). On the colder side, the coldest minimum temperature in the entire series is -14.6°C, recorded in 1895, while the lowest average maximum for any year was in 1882 at 4.7°C.

The most recent decade shows a clear cluster of extreme highs. The five hottest days on record all occurred after 1990, with 2022 producing the two highest values. This concentration of recent extremes is a distinctive feature of the series, although earlier years also had notable warm spells, such as the 32.9°C recorded in 1906 and 33.5°C in 1911.

Maximum temperatures by month

Mean monthly maximum (average of all daily maximums), record maximum for that calendar month, and mean monthly minimum (average of all daily minimums). All values in degrees Celsius.

July holds both the highest monthly average maximum (20.4°C) and the absolute record of 39.4°C. August is the second warmest month, with a mean maximum of 20.0°C and a record of 34.3°C. The difference between the July and August records (39.4°C vs 34.3°C) shows how exceptional the 2022 heatwave was. The coldest months are January and February, with mean maximums of 6.3°C and 6.7°C respectively, and record maximums that barely reach 15.9°C and 18.2°C.

The 5 hottest days on record

Ranking of the five days with the highest maximum temperature in the entire series. Daily minimum and mean temperatures are shown for context.

The top five hottest days are all from summer, with four occurring in July and one in August. Notably, three of the five happened after 2019, and two consecutive days in July 2022 (39.4°C and 36.1°C) form an intense heatwave. The oldest entry in this ranking is 4 August 1990 with 34.3°C, which is now tied as the fourth hottest day alongside 31 July 2020. The 19 July 2022 record not only exceeded 35°C but also had a minimum of 21.9°C, meaning the tropical night contributed to an exceptional 24-hour period.

Maximums by year

For each calendar year with available data, the table shows the highest maximum temperature recorded that year, the average of all daily maximums, and the lowest minimum temperature of that year.

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

The year 2022 stands out with an annual maximum of 39.4°C, far above any other year in the series. The next highest annual maximums were 36.1°C in 2022 (second warmest day) and 35.6°C in 2019. Before 1990, no year had exceeded 33.5°C (1911), showing that recent decades have seen a clear step up in peak temperatures. The annual mean maximum has also risen: the 1882 value of 4.7°C is the coldest, while 2022 and 2025 both average 15.0°C, the joint warmest annual mean in the record.

Frequently asked questions

When was the hottest day ever recorded in Sheffield?

The hottest day on record was 19 July 2022, when the maximum temperature reached 39.4°C. That day’s minimum was 21.9°C and the mean temperature was 30.6°C, according to the Met Office station at sheffield.

Which month has the highest average maximum temperature?

July has the highest mean daily maximum, at 20.4°C. August is a close second with 20.0°C. The warmest month on record for extreme heat is also July (39.4°C), followed by August with a maximum of 34.3°C.

What was the most extreme summer in the series?

Based on the annual maximum temperature, the most extreme summer was 2022, with a peak of 39.4°C. The year also had the second-highest daily maximum ever (36.1°C on 18 July 2022). The previous record-holder was 33.5°C in 1911, making the 2022 value 5.9 degrees higher than that early 20th-century peak.

How cold can it get in Sheffield?

The coldest minimum temperature ever recorded in the entire period is -14.6°C, observed in 1895. More recently, the lowest minimum was -8.6°C in 2010. The coldest year in terms of average maximum was 1882, with a mean daily maximum of only 4.7°C.

Where is the temperature measured in Sheffield?

The data comes from the official Met Office station identified as sheffield (station reference 00525). The series extends from 1882-12-01 to 2026-06-30, giving 144 years of daily records. All values in this page are taken from that homogeneous station series.

Has any day exceeded 35°C before 2019?

No. In the entire series from 1882 to 2018, no daily maximum reached 35°C. The first time the station recorded 35°C or above was 25 July 2019 with 35.6°C. The 2022 heatwave then surpassed it with 36.1°C and 39.4°C on consecutive days.

Is the 2022 heatwave visible in the annual averages?

Yes. The annual mean maximum temperature in 2022 was 15.0°C, tied with 2025 as the highest mean in the series. By comparison, the 1990 annual mean was 14.4°C, and the 1911 summer, despite its record heat at the time, only resulted in a yearly mean of 13.5°C.