Erick Burgueño Salas
Research expert covering climate change and the water industry
Weather in the United Kingdom - statistics & facts
Renowned for its difficult-to-predict weather conditions, the United Kingdom is now experiencing even harsher changes in its weather patterns. Warmer temperatures brought on by accelerating climate change are bringing the country more extreme weather events. For instance, from September 2023 to August 2024, the UK reported its worst storm season in ten years, with 12 systems hitting its coasts. Meanwhile, record breaking high temperatures and deadly heatwaves have occurred in recent years, with such events becoming more likely in the face of the UKs changing climate.
The climate in the UK is going through significant changes, like in most parts of the world, which is dramatically affecting the weather. Even in a moderate emissions scenario, the annual temperature in the UK is expected to increase by over one degree Celsius, enough to disturb rain patterns further and make extreme events more recurrent.
What makes UK weather unique?
In general, the UK has a humid temperate oceanic climate with generally cool temperatures and cloudy conditions with precipitation all year round. It lies in the middle latitudes to the northwest of the great continental landmass of Eurasia. Due to its geographic location as an island, the UK is affected by numerous air masses arriving from multiple directions, such as the Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic. These varying air masses significantly influence the climate in each country across the nation.How warm does it get in the UK?
The average temperature in the UK is mild compared to other countries. In 2024, the mean annual temperature stood at barely 9.8 degrees Celsius. Although this might sound chilly, Brits can experience severely high temperatures too, like the ones recorded in Summer 2022, when the thermometer exceeded 40 degrees Celsius in some English cities. England is indeed the hottest of the four nations that constitute the UK, with the highest temperatures typically occurring in July. The warmest parts of England are in the south and southeast regions, as they are less exposed to the northern polar air masses. The tropical continental air mass also affects the country, bringing warm temperatures from North Africa and the Sahara.The UK’s wettest country
In addition to relatively gentle temperatures, the UK also receives ample precipitation. Due to their proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, latitude, and mountainous landscape, Scotland and Wales are typically the wettest countries in the UK. In 2024, Wales was the rainiest of the four countries, with an annual rainfall of 1,600 millimeters. Conversely, rain deposits from the Atlantic move in from the west and reduce as they move east; as a result, eastern areas tend to be drier and less windy. England was the driest of the countries, recording an annual rainfall of 1,020 millimeters in 2024.The climate in the UK is going through significant changes, like in most parts of the world, which is dramatically affecting the weather. Even in a moderate emissions scenario, the annual temperature in the UK is expected to increase by over one degree Celsius, enough to disturb rain patterns further and make extreme events more recurrent.
