UK’s top ten hottest years all since 2002, says Met Office

A new report by the Met Office has found that all of the UK’s top ten hottest years on record have occurred since 2002.

A new annual report from the Met Office has shown that since 1864, all of the UK’s top ten warmest years have been since 2002.

Dr Mark McCarthy, head of the Met Office’s National Climate Information Centre, said: “Looking back further into the UK’s weather reveals a very interesting timeline with the top ten warmest years at the most recent end, since 2002. Extending the record back by 26 years from 1910 to 1884 didn’t bring in any new warm years, but it did bring in a number of new cold years, including several that are now within the top ten coldest years.”

The hottest year since 1864 was recorded as 2014. The data showed that 2018 was the 7th hottest year and with weather anomalies last week, it is expected that 2019 will rank somewhere against these ten.

The report found that 2018 was the third sunniest year in a UK series starting in 1929, however in the same year it received the most significant snowfall since 2010.

The report also showed that over the last decade, summers have been 13% wetter, and winters have 12% wetter than the period 1961-1990.

The Met Office have declared that these statistics are further indications of a changing climate.

Last week, the UK experienced record-breaking temperatures and on Thursday 25 July, it reached up to 38.9 degrees Celsius in central London.

With the UK committing to net zero by 2050, it is clear that if urgent action isn’t put into place immediately, the climate will continue to change to an irrevocable state. A new report found that despite the 12 years claimed to save the planet – we may only have 18 months.

Read the full report by the Met Office here.