2022 Hottest Year on Record

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11 January 2023

The Met Office has confirmed that 2022 was the UK’s hottest year on record, with an average temperature of over 10°C recorded for the first time.

The full UK mean temperature data for 2022 resulted in a provisional figure of 10.03°C, the highest in records dating back to 1884.

Met Office Climate Attribution Scientist, Dr Nikos Christidis, said: “To assess the impact of human induced climate change on the record-breaking year of 2022, we used climate models to compare the likelihood of a UK mean temperature of 10°C in both the current climate and with historical human climate influences removed. The results showed that recording 10°C in a natural climate would occur around once every 500 years, whereas in our current climate it could be as frequently as once every three to four years.

“We also used climate models to project how often this sort of temperature could be recorded in the future. It was possible to calculate that by the end of the century, under a medium emissions scenario (SSP2-4.5), a UK average temperature of 10°C could occur almost every year.”

2022’s Extreme Weather – First-Ever Red Extreme Heat Warning

2022 also saw Britain experience its first Red extreme heat national severe weather warning. From 18-19 July, parts of central, northern, eastern and southeastern England experienced temperatures in excess of 40°C. The UK Health Security Agency also declared a Level 4 Heat Health Warning.

Workplace managers were advised to help their staff stay comfortable and productive in the extreme heat by taking measures such as allowing people to work from home and relaxing uniform codes.

Picture: a photograph of the earth with the left half of the outline glowing in orange. Image Credit: Pixabay

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 11 January 2023

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