June 2023 likely to be the UK's hottest on record
- Published
June 2023 is poised to be the hottest June on record in the United Kingdom, provisional figures show.
Maximum temperatures were not exceptionally high - the hottest day reached 32.2C.
But the long-lasting, moderate heat put it into record-breaking territory, surpassing the Junes of 1940 and 1976.
Figures from the Met Office show that the overall June average temperature is the highest on record.
Daytime temperatures of at least 25 degrees Celsius lasted for over a fortnight and, with high humidity, the nights provided little respite.
Much of the month saw high pressure, which pulled in warm air from the south, and although cooler air arrived during the final week, this hasn't been enough to knock June 2023 off the top spot.
It was also very dry. Manston in Kent had no rainfall for 33 days straight.
A dominant pressure set-up persisted for much of June
Is climate change to blame?
Although monthly temperatures fluctuate naturally between cooler and warmer periods, human-induced climate change increases the frequency and intensity of extreme summer heat. Is it likely we will see more of these prolonged spells of hot and dry weather in the coming years.
What about the rest of summer?
With summer holidays just around the corner, many people will want to know what is in store as we head deeper into the summer months.
It looks at the moment as though the first week of July will be fairly changeable, with low pressure bringing spells of rain and wind at times, most frequently to the northern half of the UK.
But, further ahead, there is growing confidence of a hotter spell developing again from mid-July to early August, although cooler and wetter weather is also likely at times.
The reason for the higher than average chance of more heat this summer is in part driven by a strengthening El Nino in the Pacific and abnormal warmth in the Atlantic.
The Met Office is predicting that globally, 2023 will be around 1.2C above the pre-industrial era, but could be even hotter and potentially record-breaking.
Data from the Met Office shows average global temperatures climbing
Will we see a repeat of last year's extreme heat?
Although a few days of strong heat are possible, there is currently no indication of temperatures reaching anything like the extremes reached during summer 2022, when the UK surpassed the 40 degree mark for the very first time.
Stay tuned to the forecast and for all the up-to-date information and analysis you can follow 大象传媒 Weather on and .