Author Archives: Met Office Press Office

The mid-month heatwave has helped the UK to its joint fifth warmest July on record according to provisional Met Office figures, with Scotland and Northern Ireland recording their third warmest July, in a month where Northern Ireland also broke its all-time high temperature record, exceeding 31C multiple times.   The mean temperature for July 2021 in the UK was 16.6°C, which … Continue reading →

COP – or Conference of Parties, is an annual United Nations climate summit where world leaders meet to discuss and make decisions on key global issues. In attendance will be countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) back in 1994. This year sees the arrival of the much-awaited … Continue reading →

There is one climate topic that you’re likely to hear a lot about this year: tipping points. In the context of climate science, a tipping point can occur when a relatively small change can have a large and irreversible effect … Continue reading →

The Met Office is launching a new Climate Newsletter to inform decision makers, scientists and the public about the very latest climate news and debates. The twice-monthly email newsletter will bring together the latest research, news and developments on the … Continue reading →

It is often through extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and heavy rainfall, that the impacts from climate change first affect us, presenting the greatest shocks to our wellbeing, key infrastructure, the economy and our environment. Scientists from the Met … Continue reading →

Summer has kicked off with a predominantly warm and sunny June compared to the long-term averages, according to provisional statistics from the Met Office.   Although conditions have been more unsettled for some in recent weeks, the UK has had above average temperatures for the … Continue reading →

A record-breaking heatwave is devastating parts of northwestern North America, and the heat is expected to continue now through much of this week. Temperatures in parts of the northwest USA and southwest Canada are likely to reach as high as … Continue reading →

What are climate tipping points and how will we know when they have been breached? A collection of climate scientists provide insight to these fundamental questions by looking at a series of potential tipping points around the world in the … Continue reading →

The sniffling noses and streaming eyes that accompany summer for many hay fever sufferers are currently in full force, with the pollen count high across many areas of the UK, as it has been for some weeks. But is it worse than … Continue reading →

Although hot weather can often be seen as ‘good news’ and is enjoyed by many, it can have serious consequences. Research shows that, as a result of climate change, we are now much more likely to see prolonged spells of hot weather here in the UK. The impacts of … Continue reading →