The latest annual State of the UK Climate report which has analysed data since 1884 has found that all of the UK’s ten warmest years have occurred since 2002; whereas none of the ten coldest years have occurred since 1963.
Beginning with the hottest, the top ten warmest years in sequence are: 2014; 2006; 2011; 2007; 2017; 2003; 2018; 2004; 2002; and 2005.
The top ten coolest years in sequence are: 1892 1888; 1885; 1963; 1919; 1886; 1917; 1909; 1887; and 1962
2018 contained some notable weather events, including the summer heatwave and the Beast from the East, when a record low daily maximum temperature was recorded on 1 March.
Despite this particular cold snap, 2018 was on balance a warm year and joins the top ten warmest years at number seven. 2018 was the equal-warmest summer for the UK (along with 2006)
In 2018 the UK received the most significant snowfall since 2010. UK snow events have generally declined since the 1960s
The figures show that over the last decade, summers have been 13% wetter, and winters have been 12% wetter than the period 1961-1990
Six of the ten wettest years have occurred since 1998 in a UK series stretching back to 1862
Eight of the ten warmest years for near-coast UK sea-surface temperatures have occurred this century
Ten named storms affected the UK during 2018
In 2018, average sea level around the UK was equal highest (with 2015) on record in a series starting in 1901.
