Last month was officially the hottest February on record in England and Wales, the Met Office has confirmed.
The average temperature in England was a comfortable 7.5°C, 0.5°C warmer than the previous record, which was set in 1990.
Meanwhile, Wales experienced average temperatures of 6.9°C, slightly above the 1998 record of 6.8°C.
If you felt like your umbrella was permanently glued to your hand, you’re not wrong, as the Met Office says last month was also one of the wettest on record.
“Despite a cold snap in the north in the first half of the month, the main theme of February is how persistently mild and wet it has been, particularly in the south, and this is largely due to the influence of weather systems. of low pressure from the Atlantic. bringing a predominantly gentle southwesterly flow,” said Mike Kendon, senior scientist at the Met Office.
The Met Office confirms that last month was the hottest February on record in England and Wales, and one of the wettest on record. Pictured: Fields filled with flood water after the River Great Ouse at St Ives, Cambs, burst its banks in February.
The average temperature in England was a comfortable 7.5°C, 0.5°C warmer than the previous record, which was set in 1990. Meanwhile, Wales saw an average temperature of 6.9°C, slightly above the 1998 record of 6.8°C.
The UK experienced its second warmest February, with average temperatures reaching 6.3°C, just shy of the 1998 record of 6.8°C.
While temperatures across the country were higher than usual, it was especially hot in the south.
More than 30 counties, mainly in the south, recorded their highest temperatures in February, with some reaching more than 3°C above the long-term average for February.
Southern England also experienced its wettest February since records began, with many parts experiencing more than double the average rainfall.
In particular, East Anglia had the warmest and wettest February on record.
A whopping 106.4mm of rain was recorded throughout the month, while average temperatures reached 8.2°C.
Overall, the entire winter in Britain has been warm and wet, according to the Met Office.
During December, January and February, the average temperature was 5.29°C, provisionally making it the fifth warmest winter on record.
In these three months, 445.8 mm of rain fell, 29 percent more than the long-term average and the eighth wettest winter on record.
Southern England also experienced its wettest February since records began, with many parts experiencing more than double the average rainfall.
The UK experienced its second warmest February, with average temperatures reaching 6.3°C, just shy of the 1998 record of 6.8°C.
“Observations from the UK clearly show that winters are getting warmer and also wetter, because as the atmosphere warms its ability to retain moisture increases,” Mr Kendon said.
“The ten warmest winters on record in the UK include 2024, 2022, 2020, 2016 and 2014 and the ten wettest 2024, 2020, 2016 and 2014, so very mild winters also show a tendency to be very wet” .
The Met Office says climate change is to blame for these record numbers, and the worst is yet to come.
“Climate projections indicate that, on average, winters will continue to be wetter and summers drier, although natural variability will mean that we will continue to see individual years that do not follow this trend,” he explained.
«As our atmosphere warms, it can retain more moisture, about 7% more for every 1°C of warming.
“This carries the risk of increased frequency and duration of heavy rainfall in the future, especially during winter, if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise.”