United Kingdom weather records
The United Kingdom weather records note the most extreme weather ever recorded in the United Kingdom, such as the most and fewest hours of sunshine and highest wind speed.
Boscastle after flooding in 2004
Records
As of 1 June 2020, the records, as recorded by the Met Office are:[1]
Highest temperature by nation
| °C | °F | Location | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 38.7 | 101.7 | Cambridge, Cambridgeshire | 25 July 2019[2] |
| Wales | 35.2 | 95.4 | Hawarden Bridge, Flintshire | 2 August 1990 |
| Scotland | 32.9 | 91.2 | Greycrook, Scottish Borders | 9 August 2003 |
| Northern Ireland | 30.8 | 87.4 | Knockarevan, County Fermanagh | 30 June 1976 |
| Shaw's Bridge, Belfast, County Antrim | 12 July 1983 |
Top 5 highest temperatures[3]
| Rank | °C | °F | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 38.7 | 101.7 | Cambridge Royal Botanic Gardens | 25 July 2019 |
| 2 | 38.5 | 101.3 | Faversham | 10 August 2003 |
| 3 | 37.8 | 100.0 | Heathrow | 31 July 2020 |
| 4 | 37.1 | 98.8 | Cheltenham | 3 August 1990 |
| 5 | 36.7 | 98.1 | Heathrow | 1 July 2015 |
Lowest temperature by nation
| °C | °F | Location | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland | –27.2 | –17.0 | Braemar, Aberdeenshire | 11 February 1895 and 10 January 1982 |
| Altnaharra, Sutherland | 30 December 1995 | |||
| England | –26.1 | –15.0 | Newport, Shropshire | 11 January 1982 |
| Wales | –23.3 | –9.9 | Rhayader, Radnorshire | 21 January 1940 |
| Northern Ireland | –18.7 | –1.6 | Castlederg, County Tyrone | 24 December 2010 |
Rainfall
| Duration | Level | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest 5-min total | approx. 32 mm (1.3 in) | Preston, Lancashire | 10 August 1893 |
| Highest 30-min total | 80 mm (3.1 in) | Eskdalemuir, Dumfries and Galloway[4] | 26 June 1953 |
| Highest 60-min total | 92 mm (3.6 in) | Maidenhead, Berkshire | 12 July 1901 |
| Highest 90-min total | 117 mm (4.6 in) | Dunsop Valley, Lancashire | 8 August 1967 |
| Highest 120-min total | 193 mm (7.6 in)[5] | Walshaw Dean Lodge, West Yorkshire | 19 May 1989 |
| Highest 155-min total | 169 mm (6.7 in) | Hampstead, London | 14 August 1975 |
| Highest 180-min total | 178 mm (7.0 in) | Horncastle, Lincolnshire | 7 October 1960 |
| Highest 24-hour total (1800-1800) | 341.4 mm (13.44 in) | Honister Pass, Cumbria | 5 December 2015 |
| Highest 24-hour total (0900-0900) | 279 mm (11.0 in) | Martinstown, Dorset | 18 July 1955 |
| Highest 48-hour total (0900-0900) | 405 mm (15.9 in) | Thirlmere, Cumbria | 4 to 5 December 2015 |
| Highest 72-hour total (0900-0900) | 456.4 mm (17.97 in) | Seathwaite, Cumbria | 17 to 19 November 2009 |
| Highest 96-hour total (0900-0900) | 495 mm (19.5 in) | Seathwaite, Cumbria | 16 to 19 November 2009 |
| Highest monthly total | 1,396.4 mm (54.98 in) | Crib Goch, Snowdon | 1 to 31 December 2015 |
Sunshine
| Duration | Location | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest monthly total (UK national average)[6] | 266 hours | UK (national average) | May 2020 |
| Highest monthly total (England)[1] | 383.9 hours | Eastbourne, Sussex | July 1911 |
| Highest monthly total (Northern Ireland)[1] | 298 hours | Mount Stewart, County Down | June 1940 |
| Highest monthly total (Scotland)[1] | 329.1 hours | Tiree, Argyll & Bute | May 1975 |
| Highest monthly total (Wales)[1] | 354.3 hours | Dale Fort, Pembrokeshire | July 1955 |
Wind speed
| Ground Level | Wind Speed | Location | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | knots | |||
| Low level | 142 | 228 | 123 | Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire | 13 February 1989 |
| High level | 173 | 278 | 150 | Cairn Gorm, Scottish Highlands | 20 March 1986 |
Shetland holds the unofficial British record for wind speed. A gust of 197 mph (317 km/h) was reported on 1 January 1992. An earlier gust in 1962 was recorded at 177 mph (285 km/h), both at RAF Saxa Vord.[7] However, it is expected that higher gusts than those reported would have been achieved as during both storms the measuring equipment was destroyed by the extreme weather.[8]
A wind gust of 194 mph (312 km/h) was recorded at Cairn Gorm on 19 December 2008.[9]
Snowfall
| Amount | Location | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest daily total in an inhabited area[10] | 173 cm (68 in) | Huntingdon Warren, Dartmoor | 16 February 1929 |
| Greatest depth in an inhabited area[11] | 211 cm (83 in) | Forest-in-Teesdale, County Durham | 14 March 1947 |
Atmospheric pressure
| Record | Level | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest | 1,053.6 mbar (31.11 inHg) | Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire | 31 January 1902 |
| Lowest | 925.6 mbar (27.33 inHg) | Ochtertyre, Perthshire | 26 January 1884 |
References
- "UK climate extremes". Met Office. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- "Hottest UK day on record confirmed". BBC News. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
- "UK sizzles as temperatures reach 36C". BBC News. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- The UK Met Office expresses "reservations" about 193 mm on 19 May 1989 at Walshaw Dean Lodge (West Yorkshire).
- Harrabin, Roger (1 June 2020). "Climate change: May was sunniest calendar month on record in UK". BBC News. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- "Unst". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
- "A History of RAF Saxa Vord". Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- Britten, Nick (6 January 2009). "Highlands mountain claims strongest UK wind". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
- "Trevor Harley monthly weather extremes for the UK". Trevor Harley. p. 1. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
- Eden, Philip (2 February 2009). "Snow Britain: Wrong kind of snow strikes again". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
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