When does summer start in the UK? This is why there are two start dates

If you're wondering when does summer start in the UK, we've got the information right here - with any hot weather yet to arrive, it's no surprise people are wondering when summer actually begins.

For those longing for a bit of sunshine, you've probably already planned your family road trip or holiday to add some excitement to the long weeks after schools break up for summer. If you're not going away, you could be looking forward to some of those lazy days spent in the garden with family while kids play with the best toys for outdoor fun.  

And as the weather tentatively feels a little warmer after the weeks of wind and rain, we're all wondering when summer actually starts. While the summer solstice marks the official beginning, there's also a meteorological summer start date  - read on to find out why there are two start dates for the warmest season of the year.

When is the first day of summer?

The official first day of summer in 2024 is Thursday, June 20 and summer ends on Sunday, September 22 - this is what's known as astronomical summer. 

The Met Office explains that "the astronomical calendar determines the seasons due to the 23.5 degrees of tilt of the Earth's rotational axis in relation to its orbit around the Sun." 

Summer 2025 will begin Saturday, 21 June 2025, and draw to a close on Monday, 22 September 2025.

When does summer start in the UK?

Although astronomical summer begins on June 20 in 2024, there are two different dates considered to be the start of summer, with the other known as meteorological summer. Unlike the astronomical calendar, these dates are unchanging every year. Meteorological summer always starts on 1 June and end on 31 August.

The Met Office explain, "The meteorological seasons consist of splitting the seasons into four periods, made up of three months each. These seasons are split to coincide with our Gregorian calendar, making it easier for meteorological observing and forecasting to compare seasonal and monthly statistics."

Seasons in the meteorological calendar

• Spring (March, April, May)
• Summer (June, July, August)
• Autumn (September, October, November)
• Winter (December, January, February)

When is the longest day of the year?

The longest day of the year - also known as summer solstice - takes place on 20 June in 2024. This is the same day as the start of astronomical summer.

This is the day with the most hours of sunlight and the earth’s axis is tilted at its closest point from the sun. This means that in the northern hemisphere, the sun is at its highest point in the sky.

When do the summer holidays start?

Most schools begin summer holidays on July 22 in 2024, until, normally, the first full week of September - which this year begin on September 2.

However, some schools begin their summer holidays earlier in June, and some break up after 1st July. To check the summer holiday dates for your school, you can visit this gov.uk page here.

For more practical tips for keeping your house cool in the summer months, we've got you covered. To feel cooler quickly, we have 8 ingenious ways to cool down fast, that are worth trying, and these summer foods to cool you down are perfect for the holidays.