The UK had its joint-warmest September on record in a series which goes back to 1884 according to provisional Met Office statistics.
The UK had its joint-warmest September on record in a series which goes back to 1884 according to provisional Met Office statistics.
The UK’s September 2023 mean temperature of 15.2°C puts it level with 2006’s record figure in statistics that have been ‘substantially influenced’ by the impact of climate change.
England and Wales
England and Wales had their respective warmest September on record according to mean temperature.
England’s provisional figure of 16.7°C topped the previous record of 16.5°C set in 2006. Wales’ 15.6°C also beat its 2006 figure of 15.2°C.
Northern Ireland and Scotland
For Northern Ireland, September 2023 was the joint-warmest on record with an average mean temperature of 14.2°C putting it level with both 2006 and 2021’s figures.
Scotland provisionally had its third warmest September on record, with an average mean temperature of 12.8°C. Only 2021 and 2006 were warmer for the country according to September mean temperature.
Met Office Scientific Manager Mark McCarthy said,
“This September’s temperature records are heavily driven by how significantly warm the first half of the month was. Not only did September have the hottest day of the year – something that has only happened on four previous occasions in our observations – but it also had seven consecutive days where temperatures were above 30°C somewhere in the UK, which had never happened in this month in Met Office observations.
“The significantly warm start to September was influenced by high pressure across Europe. This helped to draw warmer air over the UK at the start of the month. Once this pattern subsided, we had a more Atlantic influence, with periods of winds and rain, as well as Storm Agnes late in the month, yet often a south westerly flow resulting in above average temperatures but also humid conditions and plenty of rain.”
