UK temperatures and weather

Added: 02/28/2006

The UK has a benign humid-temperate climate moderated by the North Atlantic Current and the country's proximity to the sea. Warm, damp summers and mild winters provide UK temperatures pleasant enough to engage in outdoor activities all year round. Having said that, the weather in the UK can be changeable and quite often contitions are windy and wet. The British rain is legendary, but in practice it rarely rains more than about half an hour at a time and sometimes parts of the country stay dry for weeks, especially in the East.

If you are planning to travel to the UK you should be careful with weather because of UK climate change. Whatever the season, the British weather is liable to change from day to day, so if you're wondering what to pack, a good idea is to bring layers, a waterproof coat or jacket and an umbrella.

In Autumn there can be very warm days, but equally there can be very cold ones too! UK temperatures fluctuate around the 7 to 14 degrees Centigrade mark but are likely to be much warmer in September than November. Winter sees Britain's shortest and coldest days (about 7-8 hours of daylight) but these can be crisp and bright. UK temperatures fluctuate from around 1 to 5 degrees Centigrade.

In Spring, you might enjoy wonderful sunny weather but then, it might equally be cold and wet. UK temperatures fluctuate from around 6 to 11 degrees Centigrade. May can have very warm days - up to about 18 degrees Centigrade. Most days in summer are warm, but evenings can be cool. UK temperatures average around 14 - 20 degrees Centigrade, although it can be up to around 28 degrees Centigrade on some days.

There is quite a difference in UK temperatures between Scotland and Southern England. Generally, the further north, the colder it is likely to be.Generally speaking everything depends on the region you are planning to visit. The sunniest parts of the United Kingdom are along the south coast of England.

This is largely because the formation of convective (cumulus) cloud takes place over land and skies over the sea remain cloud-free. Many places along this south coast achieve annual average figures of around 1,750 hours of sunshine. The dullest parts of England are the mountainous areas, with annual average totals of less than 1,000 hours.

Over England the mean annual temperature at low altitudes varies from about 8.5 °C to 11 °C, with the highest values occurring around or near to the coasts of Cornwall. The mean annual temperature decreases by approximately 0.5 °C for each 100 m increase in height so that, for example, Great Dun Fell in Cumbria (at 857 m) has an annual mean temperature of about 4 °C.

On the whole, Wales is cloudier than England, because of the hilly nature of the terrain and the proximity to the Atlantic. Even so, the south-western coastal strip of Dyfed manages an annual average total of over 1,700 hours of sunshine (also achieved by many places along the south coast of England). The dullest parts of Wales are the mountainous areas, with annual average totals of less than 1,100 hours. Mean daily sunshine figures reach a maximum in May or June, and are at their lowest in December. The key factor is, of course, the variation in the length of the day through the year, but wind and cloud play their part as well.

Over Scotland the mean annual air temperature at low altitude ranges from about 7 °C on Shetland, in the far north, to 9 °C on the coasts of Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway in the south-west. Normally temperature decreases by approximately 0.6 °C for each 100 m rise in height so that over the high ground temperatures are generally colder. For example, Braemar (at 339 m above mean sea level) has an annual mean temperature of 6.4 °C, while the corresponding value on Ben Nevis (at an altitude of 1344 m) is -0.3 °C. In summer, the effect of latitude on the amount of heat received from the sun plays a major role in determining the temperature.

Thus, temperatures in Scotland are generally a few degrees cooler than in England. For example, the average daily maximum temperature at Glasgow in July is 19 °C compared with 22 °C in London. Over Northern Ireland the mean annual temperature at low altitudes varies from about 8.5 °C to 9.5 °C, with the higher values occurring around or near to the coasts. The mean annual temperature decreases by approximately 0.5 °C for each 100 m increase in height so that, for example, Parkmore Forest in County Antrim (at 235 m) has an annual mean temperature of 7.4 °C. July is normally the warmest month in Northern Ireland, and the highest temperatures of all have occurred inland, furthest away from the cooling influence of the Atlantic.

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