The UK experienced its fourth warmest year on record in 2024, with an average temperature of 9.78°C, marking a continued trend of rising temperatures, according to the Met Office.
This is 0.64°C above the 1991–2020 average, following record years in 2022, 2023, and 2014.
The data underscores the ongoing impact of climate change, with all ten of the UK’s warmest years occurring since 2000.
The last decade, in particular, has seen temperatures consistently surpass the long-term averages, highlighting a clear warming trend.
Global Context: A Year of Extreme Heat
Globally, 2024 was the hottest year ever recorded, surpassing the previous high set in 2023, as confirmed by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the past decade as one of “deadly heat,” referring to the rising temperatures as evidence of “climate breakdown in real time.”
A Century of Change in the UK
Mike Kendon, senior scientist at the Met Office, emphasised how rapidly the UK’s climate is evolving.
“The fact that all 10 of the most recent years have been above the 1991-2020 average demonstrates that this recent period, entirely within my own adult lifetime, is a stark reminder of just how fast our climate is changing,” he said.
Interestingly, the UK hasn’t recorded a top 10 coldest year since 1963, reflecting a significant shift in climate patterns.
Kendon pointed out the undeniable trend, “The UK receives weather influences from all points of the compass and we are all familiar with just how variable our weather can often be from one day to the next.
“However, the long-term pattern in the observations is undeniable: the global climate is warming and there is clear evidence of this in the UK’s own temperature series.”
2024: Wettest Year for Some Counties
In addition to warmer temperatures, 2024 was notably wet, with 1,242mm of rainfall making it the UK’s 17th wettest year since records began in 1836.
Certain counties in England, including Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Bedfordshire, and Buckinghamshire, experienced their second-wettest year ever.
This follows 2023, which was the UK’s seventh wettest year, with an average rainfall of 1,318.6mm.
