Recent analysis of the UK’s climate shows that temperature extremes and records are increasingly affected by climate change.
The latest data reveals that exceptionally hot days are becoming more common across the UK.
For instance, days reaching 28°C or higher were once rare, mainly seen in London and Hampshire.
Now, many areas in England and Wales experience these high temperatures more frequently, with some regions seeing over 12 such days each year.
The number of ‘pleasant’ days (with a maximum temperature of 20°C) has increased by 41%, ‘warm’ days (25°C) by 63%, and ‘hot’ days (28°C) have more than doubled.
Even ‘very hot’ days (30°C) have more than tripled from the period 1961-1990 to 2014-2023.
February, May, June and September 2023 were among the ten warmest months ever recorded in the UK since records began in 1884.
Rainfall extremes are also on the rise.
The most recent decade has seen about 20% more days of exceptionally heavy rainfall compared to the previous decades.
This increase is noticeable across the UK, though it is less concentrated in specific areas.
The 2023 ‘State of the UK Climate’ report, published by the Royal Meteorological Society, highlights that 2023 was the UK’s second warmest, seventh wettest and 22nd sunniest year on record.
It was marked by significant weather events, including the UK’s warmest June and an unusually active storm season.
Sea levels are continuing to rise, with 2023 recording the highest annual mean sea level since records began.
The rate of sea level rise is estimated at 4.6 mm per year from 1993 to 2023.
Professor Liz Bentley, Chief Executive of the Royal Meteorological Society, said: “The new analysis of days that are classified as ‘hot’ or having ‘exceptional rainfall’ highlights the increased frequency in high impact extremes we are already experiencing in the UK, and the attribution studies help to understand how human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, are making these extreme events much more likely to happen as our climate continues to change.”
