UK has warmest first nine months of the year on record, figures suggest

PA Wire

The first nine months of this year have been the warmest on record for the UK, the Met Office has said, following a scorching summer which saw record-breaking heatwaves and droughts.

A mean temperature of 10.9C was recorded in the period from January to September 2022, topping the previous all-time high of 10.6C set in 2014.

While the end of September has seen the weather turn wintry, the month has generally has a higher mean temperature than average - with 13.5C recorded across the UK.

A sequence of heatwaves in July and August led to some of the hottest temperatures ever endured in the UK, with a new high of 40.3C reached on July 19 at Coningsby in Lincolnshire.

A sequence of heatwaves in July and August led to some of the hottest temperatures ever endured in the UK (PA Wire)

England saw the driest July since 1935 and the joint warmest summer on record.

But it is too soon to say whether 2022 will end up being the warmest year since records began in 1884, as cooler weather between now and the end of December could bring down the overall annual temperature.

Dr Mark McCarthy of the National Climate Information Centre said: “Despite the recent cool spell, September continues 2022’s run of each month being warmer than their respective long-term averages.

“According to mean temperature, it has been the warmest year so far up to this point, with an average mean temperature of 10.9C topping 2014’s figure of 10.6C for the January-September period.

The summer’s scorching weather saw reservoirs dry up across the UK (Getty Images)

“2014 went on to be the UK’s warmest year on record. 2022 is on track to be one of the warmest years on record if the warmer-than-average conditions persist, but we cannot rule out a period of below average temperatures during the coming months that would bring it below 2014’s mean temperature for the calendar year.”

September has seen an “Atlantic influence” bring more unsettled weather to the country, with northern winds leading to a fall in temperature in recent days.

Parched grounds during the record-breaking heatwave in the summer (EPA)

“It has also been slightly duller than average based on sunshine statistics, with Wales particularly dull this month, although not enough to trouble any records,” Dr McCarthy added.

The Met Office will publish full provisional figures for September’s weather on 3 October.