UK summer of 2022 is sign of even warmer weather to come, warns Met Office

By Mehmet Solmaz

BIRMINGHAM, England (AA) - Britain’s Meteorological Office said 2022 was the warmest year on record in the UK and warned that unless greenhouse gas emissions are gotten under control, last year could seem “cool” compared with what it will be in 2100.

The UK saw its hottest temperature in July 2022, with the mercury hitting 40.2C (104.3F) at Heathrow Airport. The heat wave also sparked bushfires in and around London, setting houses ablaze.

In its State of the UK Climate 2022 report released Thursday, the national weather service said that last year’s 40C hot and dry weather will become “typical” in the UK within 40 years.

“The observations show that in the UK, extremes of temperature are changing much faster than the average temperature,” the report said, adding that 2022’s heatwave is a result of climate change.

Met Office data from 2022 shows that the first 11 months were warmer than the average for the past two decades.

The period from January to August 2022 was the driest across England and Wales since 1976. The report also showed that 2022 was one of the least snowy years on record compared to the past 60 years.

“Almost every species regarded as indicative of spring appeared between one and ten days early. Temperatures in Durham and Bradford exceeded their previous records by a striking 4C,” said the report.