Climate and weather in the UK

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Weather is the day-to-day conditions of the atmosphere at a particular place. It includes

temperature, precipitation, cloud cover and wind speed. Climate is the average weather conditions
of a place taken over a long period of time, typically 30 years.

The UK has a temperate climate. In general, this means that Britain gets cool, wet winters and warm,
wet summers. It rarely features the extremes of heat or cold, drought or wind that are common in
other climates. The weather conditions are also very changeable.

The first climate graph is for London, in the south-east of the UK. This region is characterised by a
warm and dry climate in the summer and a cold and dry climate in the winter.

Not all parts of the UK have the same climate. The second climate graph is from Cumbria in the
mountainous north-west of England. Notice that temperatures are generally cooler and there is more
rainfall throughout the year.

Cumbria sees much more annual rainfall than London, peaking in November. London has higher
average temperatures, peaking at 18 °C in July.

The general pattern of the climate across the UK has four distinct regions:

the south-east - cold winters, warm and dry summers

the south-west - mild and very wet winters, warm and wet summers

the north-west - mild winter, cool summers and heavy rain all year

the north-east - cold winter, cool summers and steady rain all year

NE: Arctic - cold winters & summers, steady rain. SE: Continental - cold winters, warm summers, dry.
SW: Tropical - mild winters & summers, rain. NW: Maritime - mild winters, cool summers, heavy rain.

How has the climate changed over time?

The climate is continually changing. There is evidence, for example from fossils, which shows that
during certain periods, the world was much warmer than it is now, and there was little ice on the
North Pole. There is also evidence to suggest that at other times the ice cover was much greater than
it is today. Since the 1950s, there has been evidence of a steep climb in global temperature
compared to the past. This trend is linked to climate change.

Global average temperature has been gradually increasing over the past 150 years, from 13.5°C in
the 1860s to 14.4°C in the 1990s.
The graph shows a rise in global temperature averages

Weather in the UK - rainfall

Rainfall

On average, it rains one in three days in the UK. Highland areas to the west receive the most annual
rainfall compared to the low-lying areas in the east. The south-west prevailing winds bring moisture
from the Atlantic Ocean.

Northwest Scotland has the greatest average rainfall, with over 3,000 mm. East England receives the
least, with less than 700 mm.

Types of rainfall

There are three different types of rainfall:

relief

convectional

frontal

Relief rainfall

Warm, moist air from the sea rises over the mountains. As it rises, the air cools and condenses,
forming clouds and rain. After the mountains, the air descends and warms. This area is the rain
shadow.

Relief rainfall occurs when warm moist air from the Atlantic Ocean rises up over mountains.

When the warm air rises, it cools and condenses to form clouds, which bring rain.

Once the air has passed over the mountains, it descends and warms.

This creates drier conditions known as a rain shadow.

Convectional rainfall

The sun heats the land and the air above. The warm air rises, cools and condenses, forming clouds.
Rain can then occur.

Convectional rainfall usually occurs during the summer in the UK, when the sun heats the land.

This creates rising pockets of warm air, known as convection currents.

Warm air rises rapidly, where it starts to cool and condenses to form clouds.

These clouds can be large cumulonimbus clouds.

The clouds can produce heavy rainfall and thunderstorms.

Frontal rainfall
Warm air is forced to rise over cold air. Condensation forms clouds. There is heavy rain along the
front.

Frontal rainfall occurs when a warm front meets a cold front. The heavier cold air sinks to the ground
and the warm air rises above it.

When the warm air rises, it cools.

The cooler air condenses and form clouds.

The clouds bring heavy rain.

How does location affect the UK's weather and climate?

Location

The UK lies in the 'battleground' between warm tropical air to the south and cold polar air to the
north. As two distinctly different types of air battle for control over the mid-latitudes, the UK
experiences contrasting and changeable weather.

The warm North Atlantic Drift significantly impacts the UK's climate. It carries warm water from the
South Atlantic to the western shores of the UK. The prevailing south-westerly winds then spread
these warmer conditions, giving the western parts of the country mild winters.

This diagram shows how the origin and journey of the air mass can affect the climate of the UK. For
example, the Polar Maritime Air Mass originates in the Poles and travels over the Arctic Sea,
therefore it brings cold and wet weather. The Tropical Continental air mass originates in the tropics
and travels over land bringing hot and dry weather to the UK.

Causes of UK weather

Two different pressure systems bring different types of weather to the UK. They are depressions and
anticyclones.

Depressions

A depression is an area that has low atmospheric pressure. Air rising causes the formation of clouds,
which brings rainfall. Depressions often move eastwards across the UK, bringing changeable weather
as they travel.

There are usually frontal systems associated with depressions. The diagram below shows the
changing weather that the warm and cold fronts bring as they move towards the east.

Rain occurs at both cold and warm fronts. The area between fronts is clear and dry.

Anticyclones
Anticyclones are areas of high pressure which form when cool air sinks. Anticyclones spin around in a
clockwise direction. Anticyclones make skies clear and cause different weather in summer and
winter. In summer, anticyclones bring hot, sunny weather. During winter, anticyclones cause cold
weather including fog and frost.

s weather becoming more extreme?

Many scientists believe that the UK's weather is becoming more extreme. Some examples of extreme
weather in the UK include:

heavy rain

gales

heavy snowfall

thick fog

heat wave

drought

Climate change can increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.

Wave breaking in a storm

Waves batter the promenade wall in Prestwick, Scotland

Flooding is becoming more frequent in the UK. The Environmental Agency is responsible for
monitoring the potential for flooding. They evaluate the risk of flooding and issue warnings for areas.
They use three codes to help people be able to prepare:

Flood alert – Flooding is possible. Be alert.

Flood warning – Flooding is expected. Immediate action required.

Severe flood warning – Severe flooding. Danger to life.