The United Kingdom experienced its hottest June on record since records began 139 years ago, according to the UK’s Met Office on July 3. The recent record-breaking temperature surpassed the previous hottest June by almost a full degree.
The Met Office also noted that all four nations of the UK—England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland—exceeded their respective warmest June temperatures by a “significant margin” since records began in 1884.
Data from the Met Office revealed that the average monthly temperature in June was 15.8 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous highest average recorded in 1940 and 1976 by 0.9 degrees Celsius.
The records were broken in 72 out of 97 areas across the UK where temperature data is collected, as reported by the Met Office. Moreover, the mid-month heat in June reached 15.8 degrees Celsius, which was 2.5 degrees Celsius higher than the average.
Mark McCarthy, an official from the Met Office, stated, “It’s officially the hottest June on record for the UK, for mean temperature as well as average maximum and minimum temperature.” He also mentioned that June started with high pressure and temperatures around the average, but later warm and humid air influenced temperatures, resulting in the highest temperature reaching 32.2 degrees Celsius.
June also experienced below-average rainfall, with just 68% of the monthly average recorded across the UK. The month was the fourth sunniest June on record and drier than usual.
The report highlighted that Wales had particularly low rainfall, with only 51% of its average monthly rainfall. Scotland had its third sunniest June on record with 231.4 hours of sunshine, while England had its fourth sunniest with 259.8 hours. This weather pattern can be attributed to periods of high pressure, which not only caused temperature rises but also brought extended periods of sunshine to many parts of the country.
Met Office scientists conducted a study attributing the rise in temperatures to both natural causes and human-induced climate change. Paul Davies, a climate extremes expert from the Met Office, stated that the chance of observing a June exceeding the previous record has at least doubled since the 1940s. He emphasized the impact of human-induced climate change in increasing the possibility of reaching record high temperatures.
Davies explained that the frequency of such extreme temperatures will differ based on future emissions scenarios. Using climate projections, scientists found that by the 2050s, the chances of surpassing the previous record by 14.9 degrees Celsius could increase by as much as 50 percent, depending on emissions scenarios.
The heatwave in June had devastating consequences for fish populations in the UK, with thousands of fish dying as a result. Mark Owen, the head of fisheries at the Angling Trust, highlighted the unprecedented number of fish death incidents in rivers during this time of year. He expressed concerns about the potential for more fish deaths if the high temperatures continue throughout July and August, emphasizing the ripple effect on the ecosystem.
Owen noted that while the dead fish are the visible impact, the change also affects the wider ecosystem.
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