Fourth heatwave of 2026 puts Jersey’s scorching summer in the record books

Jersey is entering its fourth heatwave of the year, with temperatures expected to climb above 30°C for three days in a row.

The latest spell of hot weather begins today (11 August), with temperatures forecast to reach a high of 33°C tomorrow.

The frequency of heatwaves this year is particularly unusual. Of the 32 heatwaves recorded in Jersey since records began 132 years ago, four have occurred in 2026 - meaning one in every eight recorded heatwaves has happened this year.

The island has already experienced heatwaves in May, June and July, and Jersey Met forecaster Rob Plumber says there could still be more to come.

"It's been a very hot year," he said.

By the end of this week, Jersey is expected to have recorded 19 days with temperatures above 30°C. Across the entire historical record, there have been 154 such days.

That means around 12% of all days above 30°C ever recorded in Jersey will have occurred in 2026 by the end of this week.

Mr Plumber said the current heatwave could be the final one of the year, although another in September cannot be ruled out. Jersey experienced a September heatwave as recently as 2023.

He added that unusually warm sea temperatures could help extend the hot conditions further into the year, as the surrounding waters retain heat.

Jersey is also on course to record an unusually high number of tropical nights - when temperatures remain above 21°C throughout the night.

The extreme weather follows a record-breaking July, which was the hottest month ever recorded in Jersey. Average temperatures reached 21.3°C, while the island experienced five consecutive days above 30°C.