The U.K. sweltered through its hottest June since records began in 1884, the country’s weather agency said Monday, adding that human-induced climate change means such unusual heat will become more frequent in the next few decades.
The average temperature for June in the U.K. hit 60.4 Fahrenheit — 33.6 F hotter than the joint previous record of 58.8F in 1940 and 1976, according to the Met Office’s provisional figures.
Meteorologists say that thanks to climate change, the chance of beating the previous joint record has at least doubled since the 1940s.
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“Alongside natural variability, the background warming of the Earth’s atmosphere due to human-induced climate change has driven up the possibility of reaching record high temperatures,” said Paul Davies at the Met Office. “By the 2050s, the chance of surpassing the previous record of 58.8 F could be as high as around 50%, or every other year.”
Large areas of the country, from the Orkney Islands in northern Scotland to Cornwall in southwest England, set regional high temperature records last month, with many experiencing mean temperatures that were 36.5 F more than average.
A woman sunbathes near a river in front of a view of London on June 17, 2022. The U.K. has recorded its hottest June on record. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
The highest temperature recorded last month was 90.0 F — much higher than typical maximum temperatures, which hover around the low 70s for this time of year, the weather agency said.
Fisheries experts say that the hot weather killed thousands of fish across the country.
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Met Office scientists have said that 2022 was the hottest year on record for the U.K., with an annual mean temperature of 50.0 F — 33.6 F higher than the 1991-2020 average.
All of the 10 annual highest temperature records have occurred in the past 20 years, clearly demonstrating how global warming has affected British climate, they added.
