The colour of the shading indicates months above average – red, green and yellow, for temperature, rainfall and sunshine, respectively – and below average – blue, brown and grey, respectively. Charts and maps refer to temperature (top), rainfall (middle) and sunshine hours (bottom) for individual months of the year. Summary of UK weather in 2020, compared to 1981-2020.
The green peak above the line in the rainfall chart indicates the very wet February – UK’s wettest on record – while the brown valley that follows, as well as the orange and yellow bars in the sunshine chart, means that the spring season really stands out.
Weather last year series#
The exceptional rainfall in late winter followed by the extended dry and sunny spring dominate the rainfall and sunshine series for the year. In fact, only July and October were cooler than average overall. The figure highlights that temperatures were above average for much of the year, with notable warm spells in April, June, August and November. The graphic below summarises the UK’s weather for the months of 2020, covering temperature (top), rainfall (middle) and sunshine hours (bottom). The UK has warmed by close to 1C, comparable to the global rise in average temperature. It is, therefore, no surprise at all that the UK climate is also continuing to change as a result. It is likely that, globally, 2020 was one of the three warmest years on record and that 2011-20 was the warmest decade. Our weather is playing out on a background of ongoing global climate change. Rainfall totals were particularly high across western Scotland and north-west England, so the UK series ranks higher than England and Wales. The remarkable year was also the third warmest in the long-running Central England temperature series (from 1659) and the 18th wettest year in the long-running England and Wales precipitation series (from 1766). 2020 is the only year that features in the Top 10 ranking for all three. This has resulted in 2020 being the UK’s third warmest, sixth wettest and eighth sunniest year in the UK national series, which extend back to 1884 for temperature, 1862 for rainfall and 1919 for sunshine. We have experienced periods of record-breaking rainfall, record dry and sunny periods, and another notable summer heatwave. It is no exaggeration to say that 2020 has been a dramatic and memorable year for the UK – and our weather and climate is no exception. Global South Climate Scientists Database.
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