The climate of the United Kingdom is classified as a mid–latitude oceanic climate (Koppen climate classification Cfb), with warm summers, cool winters and plentiful precipitation throughout the year. The principle factors that influence the country's climate include its northerly latitude (which ranges from 50° to 60° N), the close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, and the warming of the surrounding waters by the Gulf Stream. The weather can be notoriously changeable from one day to the next but temperature variations throughout the year are relatively small. The climate of the United Kingom is significantly influenced by the maritime tropical, maritime polar, continental polar and continental tropical air masses. World map showing the oceanic climate zones. ... The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. ... Latitude,usually denoted symbolically by the Greek letter phi, , gives the location of a place on Earth north or south of the equator. ... For the album by Ocean Colour Scene, see North Atlantic Drift (album) The Gulf Stream is orange and yellow in this representation of water temperatures of the Atlantic. ... Average maximum, minimum and range of monthly air temperatures recorded in Campinas, Brazil, between January 2001 and July 2006 Average maximum, minimum and range of monthly air temperatures recorded in Aracaju, state of Sergipe, Brazil, between January 2001 and July 2006 Temperature range is the numerical difference between the minimum... In meteorology, an air mass is a large volume of air having fairly uniform characteristics of temperature, atmospheric pressure, and water vapor content. ...

A deep depression near Iceland on 27 October 2000

The boundary of convergence between the warm tropical air and the cold polar air lies over the United Kingdom. In this area, the large temperature variation creates instability and this a major factor that influences the notoriously changeable and often unsettled weather the country experiences, where many types of weather can be experienced in a single day. A low pressure system near Iceland, 27 October 2000, Met Office http://www. ... A low pressure system near Iceland, 27 October 2000, Met Office http://www. ... is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The tropics are the geographic region of the Earth centered on the equator and limited in latitude by the two tropics: the Tropic of Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere. ... A geographical pole is either of two fixed points on the surface of a spinning body or planet, at 90 degrees from the equator, based on the axis around which a body spins. ...

Seasons

Winter

Winter in the UK is defined as lasting from December to February. The season is generally cool, wet and windy. Temperatures at night rarely drop below −10 °C and in the day rarely rise above 15 °C. Precipitation is plentiful throughout the season, though snow is relatively infrequent despite the country's high latitude. Winter is one of the four seasons of temperate zones. ... The degree Celsius (°C) is a unit of temperature named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius (1701–1744), who first proposed a similar system in 1742. ...

Towards the later part of the season the weather usually stabilises with less wind, less precipitation and lower temperatures. This change is particularly pronounced near the coasts mainly due to the fact that the Atlantic ocean is often at its coldest during this time after being cooled throughout the autumn and the winter. The early part of winter however is often unsettled and stormy; often the wettest and windiest time of the year.

Snow falls intermittently and mainly affects northern and eastern areas and chiefly higher ground, especially the mountains of Scotland where the amount of lying snow may be significant enough on occasions to permit skiing at one of the five Scottish ski resorts. Snow however rarely lasts more than a week in most of these areas as the cold air brought by northerly or easterly winds, or in a high pressure system gives way to mild southerly or westerly winds introduced by low pressure systems. However, on rare occasions some potent depressions may move in from the north in the form of 'Polar Lows', introducing heavy snow and often blizzard–like conditions to parts of the United Kingdom, particularly Scotland. During periods of light winds and high pressure frost and fog can become a problem and can pose a major hazard for drivers on the roads. This article is about the country. ... Cross-country skiing (skating style) in Einsiedeln, Switzerland. ... // Main article: List of ski areas and resorts This is a list of ski areas and resorts in Europe. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Anticyclone. ... A large low-pressure system swirls off the southeastern coast of Iceland, illustrating the maxim that nature abhors a vacuum. ... Look up Blizzard in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Frost on black pipes Frost is a solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. ... Golden Gate Bridge in Fog Evening fog obscures Londons Tower Bridge from passers by. ...

Mean winter temperatures in the UK are most influenced by proximity to the sea. The coldest areas are the mountains of Wales and northern England, and inland areas of Scotland, averaging −3.6 to 2.3 °C.^[1] Coastal areas, particularly those in the south and west, experience the mildest winters, on average 5 to 8.7 °C.^[1]

Spring

Spring is the period from March to May. Spring is generally a calm, cool and dry season, particularly because the Atlantic has lost much of its heat throughout the autumn and winter. However, as the sun rises higher in the sky and the days get longer, temperatures can rise relatively high; thunderstorms and heavy showers can develop on occasion. Look up spring in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A shelf cloud associated with a heavy or severe thunderstorm over Enschede, The Netherlands. ...

There is a fair chance of snow earlier in the season when temperatures are colder. Some of the country's heaviest snowfalls of recent years have happened in the first half of March and snow showers can occur infrequently until mid–April.

Mean temperatures in Spring are markedly influenced by latitude. Most of Scotland and the mountains of Wales and northern England are the coolest areas of the UK, with average temperatures ranging from −0.6 to 5.8 °C.^[2] The southern half of England experiences the warmest spring temperatures of between 8.8 and 10.3 °C.^[2]

Summer

Summer lasts from June to August. Summer can often be a dry season, but rainfall totals can have a wide local variation due to localised thunderstorms. These thunderstorms mainly occur in southern, eastern, and central England and are less frequent and severe in the north and west. North Atlantic depressions are not as frequent or severe in summer but increase both in severity and frequency towards the end of the season. Summer often sees high pressure systems from the Azores dominate. This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... In meteorology, precipitation is any kind of water that falls from the sky as part of the weather. ... // Motto: Antes morrer livres que em paz sujeitos (Rather die free than in peace subjugated) Anthem(s): A Portuguesa (national) Hino dos Açores (local) Capital Ponta Delgada (Presidency of the Regional Government) Angra do Heroísmo (Supreme Court)1 Horta (Legislative Assembly)2 Largest city Ponta Delgada Portuguese Government...

Climatic differences at this time of year are more influenced by latitude and temperatures are highest in southern and central areas and lowest in the north. Generally, summer temperatures rarely go above 30 °C. Scotland and northern England have the coolest summers (average 12.2 to 14.8 °C), while Wales and the south–west of England have warmer summers (14.9 to 15.4 °C) and the south and south–east of England have the warmest summers (15.5 to 17.7 °C).^[3] The record maximum is 38.5 °C recorded in Kent in August 2003^[4]—due to its proximity to the European land mass, the south–east usually experiences the highest summer temperatures in the United Kingdom. This article is about the country. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto)1 Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Monarch Queen Elizabeth II... The Kent coat of arms For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ...

Autumn

Autumn in the United Kingdom lasts from September to November. The season is notorious for being unsettled—as cool polar air moves southwards following the sun, it meets the warm air of the tropics and produces an area of great disturbance along which the country lies. This combined with the warm ocean due to heating throughout the spring and summer, produces the unsettled weather of autumn. In addition, when the air is particularly cold temperatures on land may be colder than the ocean, resulting in significant amounts of condensation and clouds which bring rain to the country. A noontime scene from the Philippines on a day when the sun is almost directly overhead. ... Water vapor condensing over a cup of hot tea Condensation is the change in matter of a substance to a denser phase, such as a gas (or vapor) to a liquid. ...

Atlantic depressions during this time can become intense and sustained winds of hurricane force (greater than 74 mile per hour (119 km/h)) can be recorded. Western areas, being closest to the Atlantic, experience these severe conditions to a significantly greater extent than eastern areas. As such, autumn, particularly the latter part, is often the stormiest time of the year. One particularly intense depression was the Great Storm of 1987. This article is about weather phenomena. ... Miles per hour is a unit of speed, expressing the number of international miles covered per hour. ... Kilometres per hour (American spelling: kilometers per hour) is a unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector). ... Satellite image of the powerful storm The Great Storm of 1987 occurred on October 15 and 16, 1987, when an unusually strong weather system caused hurricane force winds to hit much of the south of England. ...

However, the United Kingdom often experiences an 'Indian Summer', where temperatures particularly by night can be very mild and rarely fall below 10 °C. Such events are aided by the surrounding Atlantic Ocean and seas being at their warmest, keeping the country in warm air, despite the relatively weak sun. Examples of this were in 2005 and 2006, where September, and October even more so, saw above average temperatures which felt more like a continuation of summer than autumn. Autumns since 2000 have been very mild with notable extremes of precipitation; the UK has seen some of its wettest and driest autumns since the millennium.

Coastal areas in the southern half of England have on average the warmest autumns, with mean temperatures of 10.7 to 13 °C.^[5] Mountainous areas of Wales and northern England, and almost all of Scotland, experience mean temperatures between 1.7 and 7.5 °C.^[5]

Regions

Regional climatic differences in the United Kingdom are influenced by the Atlantic Ocean and the differing latitudes. Northern Ireland, Wales and western parts of England and Scotland, being closest to the Atlantic, are generally the mildest, wettest and windiest regions of the UK. Temperature ranges here are seldom extreme. Eastern areas are by contrast drier, cooler, less windy and also experience the greatest daily and seasonal temperature variations. Also, northern areas are generally cooler and have a smaller temperature range than southern areas. Northern Ireland (Irish: ) is a part of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... This article is about the country. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto)1 Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Monarch Queen Elizabeth II... This article is about the country. ... Average maximum, minimum and range of monthly air temperatures recorded in Campinas, Brazil, between January 2001 and July 2006 Average maximum, minimum and range of monthly air temperatures recorded in Aracaju, state of Sergipe, Brazil, between January 2001 and July 2006 Temperature range is the numerical difference between the minimum...

The United Kingdom is mostly under the influence of the maritime tropical air mass from the south–west, but different regions are more susceptible than others when different air masses affect the country:– In meteorology, an air mass is a large volume of air having fairly uniform characteristics of temperature, atmospheric pressure, and water vapor content. ...

• Northern Ireland and the west of Scotland are the most exposed to the maritime polar air mass, which brings cool moist air.

• The east of Scotland and north–east England are more exposed to the continental polar air mass, which brings cold dry air.

• The south and south–east of England are more exposed to the continental tropical air mass, which brings warm, dry air.

• Wales and the south–west of England are the most exposed to the maritime tropical air mass, which brings warm moist air.

Sunshine and cloud

The average total annual sunshine in the United Kingdom is 1339.7 hours, which is just under 30% of the maximum possible.^[6][7] The south coast of England often has the clearest skies because cumulus cloud formation generally takes place over land, and prevailing winds from the south–west keep this cloud from forming overhead. The counties of Dorset, Hampshire, Sussex and Kent have annual average totals of around 1,750 hours of sunshine a year.^[8] Northern, western and mountainous areas are generally the cloudiest areas of the UK, with some mountainous areas receiving less than 1,000 hours of sunshine a year.^[8] This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Dorset (pronounced DOR-sit or [dÉ”.sÉ™t], and sometimes in the past called Dorsetshire) is a county in the south-west of England, on the English Channel coast. ... Hampshire, sometimes historically Southamptonshire or Hamptonshire, (abbr. ... Sussex is a historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. ... The Kent coat of arms For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... Lyskamm, 4 527 m, Pennine Alps Blue Ridge Mountains in Shenandoah national park, Virginia A mountain is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain in a limited area. ...

A fine summer's day

Valley areas such as the South Wales Valleys, due to their north–south orientation, often receive less sunshine than lowland areas because the mountains on either side of the valley obscure the sun in the early morning and late evening. This is particularly noticeable in winter where there are only a few hours of sunshine. The mountains of Wales, northern England and Scotland can be especially cloudy with extensive mist and fog. Near the coast, sea fog may develop in the spring and early summer. Radiation fog may develop over inland areas of Great Britain and can persist for hours or even days in the winter and can pose a major hazard for drivers and aircraft. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 817 KB) Newbury, Berkshire from Donnington Castle. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 817 KB) Newbury, Berkshire from Donnington Castle. ... The South Wales Valleys are a number of industrialised valleys in South Wales. ... Dramatic morning mist Mist is a phenomenon of a liquid in small droplets floating through air. ... Golden Gate Bridge in Fog Evening fog obscures Londons Tower Bridge from passers by. ...

On occasions blocking anticyclones (high pressure systems) may move over the United Kingdom, which can persist for weeks or even months. The subsided, dry air often results in clear skies and few clouds, bringing frosty nights in winter and hot days in the summer, when some coastal areas can achieve almost maximum possible sunshine for periods of weeks. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Anticyclone. ... Frost on black pipes Frost is a solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. ...

Average hours of sunshine in winter range from 38–108 hours in some mountainous areas and western Scotland, up to 217 hours in the south and east of England;^[9] while average hours of sunshine in summer range from 294–420 hours in northern Scotland and Northern Ireland, to 592–726 hours in southern English coastal counties.^[10] The most sunshine recorded in one month was 383.9 hours at Eastbourne (East Sussex) in July 1911.^[8] Shown within East Sussex Geography Status: Borough Region: South East England Historic County: Sussex Admin. ... East Sussex is a county in South East England. ...

The Atlantic Ocean

One of the greatest influences on the climate of the UK is the Atlantic Ocean and especially the North Atlantic current, which brings warm waters from the Gulf of Mexico to the waters around the country by means of thermohaline circulation. This has a powerful moderating and warming effect on the country's climate—the North Atlantic Drift warms the climate to such a great extent that if the current did not exist than temperatures in winter would be about 10 °C lower than they are today. The current allows England to have vineyards at the same latitude that Canada has polar bears. These warm ocean currents also bring substantial amounts of humidity which contributes to the notoriously wet climate that western parts of the UK experience. The North Atlantic Current (North Atlantic Drift and the North Atlantic Sea Movement) is a powerful warm ocean current that continues the Gulf Stream northeast. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ... A simplified summary of the path of the Thermohaline Circulation. ... A common vineyard. ... Binomial name Phipps, 1774 Polar bear range Synonyms Ursus eogroenlandicus Ursus groenlandicus Ursus jenaensis Ursus labradorensis Ursus marinus Ursus polaris Ursus spitzbergensis Ursus ungavensis Thalarctos maritimus The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a bear native to the Arctic. ... An ocean current is any more or less continuous, directed movement of ocean water that flows in one of the Earths oceans. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ...

The extent of the Gulf Stream's contribution to the actual temperature differential between North America and western Europe is a matter of dispute.^[11][12] It has been argued that atmospheric waves that bring subtropical air northwards contribute to a much greater extent to the temperature differential than thermohaline circulation.^[11][12] For the album by Ocean Colour Scene, see North Atlantic Drift (album) The Gulf Stream is orange and yellow in this representation of water temperatures of the Atlantic. ... An atmospheric wave is a periodic disturbance in the fields of atmospheric variables (like surface pressure or geopotential height, temperature, or wind velocity) which may either propagate (traveling wave) or not (stationary wave). ...

Winds

The high latitude and close proximity to a large ocean to the west means that the United Kingdom experiences strong winds. The prevailing wind is from the south–west, but it may blow from any direction for sustained periods of time. Winds are strongest near westerly facing coasts and exposed headlands. headLand was an Australian drama series produced by the Seven Network set in a university. ...

Gales — which are defined as winds with speeds of 32 to 63 miles per hour (51 to 101 km/h)— are strongly associated with the passage of deep depressions across the country. The Hebrides experience on average 35 days of gale a year (a day where there are gale force winds) while inland areas in England and Wales receive less than 5 days of gale a year.^[8] Areas of high elevation tend to have higher wind speeds than low elevations, and Great Dun Fell in Cumbria (at 857 metres) averaged 114 days of gale a year during the period 1963 to 1976. The highest gust recorded at a low level was 103 knots (118 mph, 191 km/h) at Gwennap Head in Cornwall on 15 December 1979.^[8] This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the Hebrides islands in Scotland. ... Basic Definition In geography, the elevation of a geographic location is its height above mean sea level (or some other fixed point). ... Great Dun Fell is the second-highest hill in the Pennine range, lying two miles south along the watershed from Cross Fell, its higher neighbour. ... Cumbria (IPA: ), is a shire county in the extreme North West of England. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Granite cliffs at Gwennap Head Gwennap Head (grid reference SW3621) is the most southerly headland on the south coast of the Penwith peninsula, Cornwall, U.K. The South West Coast Path closely follows the entire coastline around the headland. ... Cornwall (pronounced ; Cornish: ) is a county in south-west England, United Kingdom, on the peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar and Devon. ...

Rainfall

Rainfall amounts can vary greatly across the United Kingdom and generally the further west and the higher the elevation, the greater the rainfall. The Lake District is one of the wettest places in the country with an average annual rainfall total that exceeds 2000 mm.^[8] The mountains of Wales, Scotland, the Pennines and the moors of the south–west of England are the wettest parts of the country, and in some of these places up to and exceeding 5000 mm of rain falls annually, making these locations some of the wettest in Europe. Most rainfall in the United Kingdom comes from North Atlantic depressions which roll into the country throughout the year and are particularly frequent and intense in the autumn and winter. They can on occasions bring prolonged periods of heavy rain, and flooding quite common. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the country. ... This article is about the country. ... Typical Pennine scenery. ... Moorland in the Pennines (England); Coarse grasses and bracken tend to dominate especially in high rainfall areas. ... A flood (in Old English flod, a word common to Teutonic languages; compare German Flut, Dutch vloed from the same root as is seen in flow, float) is an overflow of water, an expanse of water submerging land, a deluge. ...

Parts of England are surprisingly dry, which is contrary to the stereotypical view—London receives less rain annually than Rome, Sydney or New York. In East Anglia it typically rains on about 113 days per year.^[13] Most of the south, south–east and East Anglia receive less than 700 mm of rain per year.^[8] The English counties of Essex and Cambridgeshire are amongst the driest in the UK, with an average annual rainfall of around 600 mm. In some years rainfall totals in Essex can be below 450 mm—less than the average annual rainfall in Jerusalem and Beirut. This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Nickname: Motto: SPQR: Senatus Populusque Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 21 April 753 BC Government  - Mayor Walter Veltroni Area  - City 1,285 km²  (580 sq mi)  - Urban 5... The Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour Sydney (pronounced ) is the most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 4. ... NY redirects here. ... Norfolk and Suffolk, the core area of East Anglia. ... This article is about the county of Essex in England. ... Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs) is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west. ... For other uses, see Jerusalem (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Beirut (disambiguation). ...

Parts of the United Kingdom have had severe drought problems in recent years, particularly in the south–east of England, which experienced the driest period on record in 2006.^[14] Fires broke out in many areas, even across the normally damp higher ground of north–west England and Wales. The landscape in much of England and east Wales became very parched, even near the coast; water restrictions were in place in some areas.

July 2006 was the hottest month on record for the United Kingdom and much of Europe,^[15] however England has had warmer spells of 31 days which did not coincide with a calendar month—in 1976 and 1995. As well as low rainfall, drought problems were made worse by the fact that the driest parts of the England also have the highest population density, and therefore highest water consumption. The drought problems ended in the period from October 2006 to January 2007, which had well above average rainfall.

Temperature

Generally the United Kingdom has cool to mild winters and warm summers with moderate variation in temperature throughout the year. In England the average annual temperature varies from 8.5 °C in the north to 11 °C in the south, but over the higher ground this can be several degrees lower.^[8] This small variation in temperature is to a large extent due to the moderating effect the Atlantic ocean has—water has a much greater specific heat capacity than air tends to heat and cool slowly throughout the year. This has a warming influence on coastal areas in winter and a cooling influence in summer. Specific heat capacity, also known simply as specific heat (Symbol: C or c) is the measure of the heat energy required to raise the temperature of a given amount of a substance by one degree. ...

The ocean is at its coldest in February or early March, thus around coastal areas February is often the coldest month, but inland there is little to choose between February and January as the coldest.^[8] Temperatures tend to drop lowest in late winter nights inland, in the presence of high pressure, clear skies, light winds and when there is snow on the ground. On occasions, cold polar or continental air can be drawn in over the United Kingdom to bring very cold weather.

The floors of inland valleys away from warming influence of the sea can be particularly cold as cold, dense air drains into them. A temperature of −26.1 °C was recorded under such conditions at Edgmond in Shropshire on 10 January 1982, the coldest temperature recorded in England and Wales. The following day the coldest maximum temperature in England, at −11.3 °C, was recorded at the same site.^[8] Edgmond is a village in Shropshire, England. ... Shropshire (pronounced /ˈʃrÉ’pʃɪər, -ʃər/), alternatively known as Salop or abbreviated Shrops, is a county in the West Midlands of England. ... January 10 is the 10th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ...

On average the warmest winter temperatures occur on the south and west coasts, however, warm temperatures occasionally occur due to a Föhn wind warming up downwind after the crossing the mountains. Temperatures in these areas can rise as high as 15 °C in winter on rare occasions ^[16] This is a particularly unusual event in northern Scotland, mainly Aberdeenshire, where these high temperatures can occur in midwinter with just a couple of hours of sunlight. A föhn wind or foehn wind occurs when a deep layer of prevailing wind is forced over a mountain range (Orographic lifting). ... Logo of Aberdeenshire Council Aberdeenshire (Siorrachd Obar Dheathain in Gaelic) is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland. ...

July is on average the warmest month, and the highest temperatures tend to occur away from the Atlantic in southern, eastern and central England, where summer temperatures can rise above 30 °C. It soared to 38.5 °C in Kent in the summer of 2003, the highest temperature ever recorded in the United Kingdom. The Kent coat of arms For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ...

2006 saw unprecedented warmth, with many more records being broken. While the year started off around average, and even fell well below average in early–March, the period from mid–April onwards saw a lack of any cooler than average weather. Early–May and June saw temperatures 10–12 °C above average at times. July was the hottest month on record, with records stretching back hundreds of years; the highest maximum temperature for July was also broken in 2006. September was the warmest September on record and October was one of the warmest on record. November was also extremely mild, making it the warmest Autumn on record by some margin.^[17] May to October was also the warmest consecutive six months on record.^[18]

Severe weather

While the United Kingdom is not particularly noted for extreme weather, it does occur, and conditions have been known to reach extreme levels on occasions. In the winter of 1982, for a few days parts of central and southern England experienced temperatures lower than central Europe and Moscow. In contrast, the summers of 1975 and 1976 experienced temperatures as high as 35 °C. It was so dry the country suffered drought and water shortages.^[19] Trends in natural disasters, Pascal Peduzzi (2004) Is climate change increasing the frequency of hazardous events? Environment Times UNEP/GRID-Arendal Extreme weather includes weather phenomena that are at the extremes of the historical distribution, especially severe or unseasonal weather. ... Central Europe The Alpine Countries and the Visegrád Group (Political map, 2004) Central Europe is the region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe. ... Position of Moscow in Europe Coordinates: , Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Government  - Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Area  - City 1,081 km²  (417. ...

Extended periods of extreme weather, such as the drought of 1975–1976 and the very cold winters of 1962–1963, 1978–79 and 1981–1982, are often caused by blocking anti-cyclones which can persist several days or even weeks. In winter they can bring long periods of cold dry weather and in summer long periods of hot dry weather. In meteorology, an anticyclone is a weather phenomenon associated with atmospheric high pressure. ...

There have also been occurrences of severe flash floods caused by intense rainfall, the most severe was the Lynmouth disaster of 1952 in which 34 people died and 38 houses and buildings were completely destroyed. In the summer of 2004, a severe flash flood devastated the town of Boscastle in Cornwall. However, the worst floods in the United Kingdom in modern times occurred in the North Sea flood of 1953. A powerful storm from the Atlantic moved around Scotland and down the east coast of England. As it moved south it produced a storm surge which was magnified as the North Sea became narrower further south. By the time the storm affected south–east England and the Netherlands, the surge had reached the height of 3.6 metres (12 ft). Over 300 people were killed by the floods in eastern England. Flash flooding is rapid flooding of low-lying areas, rivers and creeks that is caused by the intense rainfall associated with a thunderstorm, or multiple training thunderstorms. ... Lynmouth is a village in Devon, England. ... Location within the British Isles Boscastle (Cornish: Kastell Boterel) is a small town on the north coast of Cornwall, in the extreme southwest of Britain. ... Cornwall (pronounced ; Cornish: ) is a county in south-west England, United Kingdom, on the peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar and Devon. ... The North Sea flood of 1953 and the associated storm combined to create a major natural disaster which affected the coastlines of the Netherlands and England on the night of 31 January 1953 – 1 February 1953. ... ... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ...

Thunderstorms are most common in southern and eastern England, and least common in the north and west.^[20] As a result of this, inland areas in the south and east tend to have their wettest months in the summer while western, northern and eastern coasts are most likely to have their driest month in the spring and their wettest in late autumn. In London, thunderstorms occur on average 14–19 days a year, while in most of Northern Ireland and the west of Scotland thunderstorms occur on around 3 days a year.^[20] A shelf cloud associated with a heavy or severe thunderstorm over Enschede, The Netherlands. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

Strong winds occur mainly in the autumn and winter months associated with low pressure systems. The "Great" storm of 1987 (23 fatalities) and the Burns' Day storm of 1990 (97 fatalities) are particularly severe examples. Relative to its land area, the United Kingdom has more reported tornados than any other country (around 33 per year), excluding the Netherlands, although most are minor. Satellite image of the powerful storm The Great Storm of 1987 occurred on October 15 and 16, 1987, when an unusually strong weather system caused hurricane force winds to hit much of the south of England. ... The Burns Day Storm occurred on January 25–26, 1990, over Northwestern Europe and is one of the strongest storms on record. ... A tornado in central Oklahoma. ...

The most rain to fall on a single day was 279 mm at Martinstown (Dorset) on 18 July 1955.^[8] Heavy rain also fell between 20 and 25 June in 2007; some areas experienced a months rainfall in one day. Four people died in the flooding and over £1.5 billion of damage to businesses and properties was caused. Winterborne St Martin or Martinstown is a village in south west Dorset, England, situated four miles south west of Dorchester, beside Maiden Castle. ... Dorset (pronounced DOR-sit or [dÉ”.sÉ™t], and sometimes in the past called Dorsetshire) is a county in the south-west of England, on the English Channel coast. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar). ... A Pizza Hut restaurant surrounded by flood water in Chesterfield, UK. Two kayakers make their way through a street in Yorkshire. ...

Climate history

The climate of the United Kingdom has not always been the way it is today. During some periods it was much warmer and in others it was much colder. The last Ice Age was a period of extreme cold weather that lasted for tens of thousands of years and ended about 10,000 years ago. During this period the temperature was so low that the much of the surrounding ocean froze and a great ice sheet extended over all of the United Kingdom except the south of England. Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400 000 years For the animated movie, see Ice Age (movie). ... An ice sheet is a mass of glacier ice that covers surrounding terrain and is greater than 50,000 km² (19,305 mile²).[1] The only current ice sheets are in Antarctica and Greenland; during the last ice age at Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) the Laurentide ice sheet covered much... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto)1 Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Monarch Queen Elizabeth II...

The temperature records in England are continuous back to the mid 17th century. The Central England temperature (CET) record is the oldest in the world, and is a compound source of cross–correlated records from several locations in central England. The Central England Temperature record was originally compiled by Professor Gordon Manley in 1974. ...

See also

• UK topics
• Met Office (UK Meteorological Office)
• United Kingdom Climate Change Programme
• Climate change
• North Atlantic Drift/Gulf stream
• Ice age
• European windstorm
• List of natural disasters in the United Kingdom
• Geography of the United Kingdom
• Climate of Scotland

This is a list of topics related to the United Kingdom. ... The new building on the edge of Exeter The Met Office (originally an abbreviation for Meteorological Office, but now the official name in itself), which has its headquarters at Exeter in Devon, is the United Kingdoms national weather service. ... The United Kingdoms Climate Change Programme was launched in November 2000 by the British government in response to its commitment agreed at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). ... Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400,000 years For current global climate change, see Global warming. ... The North Atlantic drift is a powerful warm ocean current that continues the Gulf Stream northeast. ... For the album by Ocean Colour Scene, see North Atlantic Drift (album) The Gulf Stream is orange and yellow in this representation of water temperatures of the Atlantic. ... Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400 000 years For the animated movie, see Ice Age (movie). ... A European windstorm is a severe cyclonic storm that tracks across the North Atlantic towards northwestern Europe in the winter months. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... The United Kingdom occupies a substantial part of the British Isles. ... The climate of Scotland is temperate, and tends to be very changeable, with no extremes. ...

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Mean Temperature Winter Average. Met Office. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
2. ^ ^{a b} Mean Temperature Spring Average. Met Office. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
3. ^ Mean Temperature Summer Average. Met Office. Retrieved on 2007-03-23.
4. ^ Extreme weather. Met Office. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
5. ^ ^{a b} Mean Temperature Autumn Average. Met Office. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
6. ^ UK 1971–2000 averages. Met Office. Retrieved on 2007-08-04.
7. ^ The maximum hours of sunshine possible in one year is approximately 4476 hours.
8. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k} Met Office:English Climate. Met Office. Retrieved on 2007-08-04.
9. ^ Sunshine Duration Winter Average. Met Office. Retrieved on 2007-08-04.
10. ^ Sunshine Duration Summer Average. Met Office. Retrieved on 2007-08-04.
11. ^ ^{a b} Seager, Richard (2006), "The Source of Europe's Mild Climate", American Scientist 94 (4): pp. 334–341
12. ^ ^{a b} Rhines, P.B. and Häkkinen, S. Is the Oceanic Heat Transport in the North Atlantic Irrelevant to the Climate in Europe? OSAF Newsletter, September 2003
13. ^ East Anglia 1971–2000 averages. Met Office. Retrieved on 2007-08-04.
14. ^ South East England still in drought. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on 2006-11-05.
15. ^ McKie, Robin (October 15, 2006). Official: this summer is the longest, hottest ever. The Observer. Retrieved on 2006-11-05.
16. ^ Met Office: Scottish Climate. Met Office. Retrieved on 2007-08-04.
17. ^ Warmest autumn on record – confirmed. Met Office. Retrieved on 2007-08-12.
18. ^ Exceptionally warm extended summer 2006. Met Office. Retrieved on 2007-08-12.
19. ^ The 1976 Drought averages. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on 2006-08-01.
20. ^ ^{a b} Days of Thunder Annual Average. Met Office. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.

The new building on the edge of Exeter The Met Office (originally an abbreviation for Meteorological Office, but now the official name in itself), which has its headquarters at Exeter in Devon, is the United Kingdoms national weather service. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 82nd day of the year (83rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 216th day of the year (217th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 216th day of the year (217th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 216th day of the year (217th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 216th day of the year (217th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 216th day of the year (217th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is an overview article about the Crown chartered British Broadcasting Corporation formed in 1927. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 309th day of the year (310th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 309th day of the year (310th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 216th day of the year (217th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 213th day of the year (214th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Met Office
• BBC weather centre country guide for the UK