Although summers have been consistently hot and dry in recent years, occasionally bordering on extreme weather, 2024 has somewhat defied that trend. That being said, there was a noticeable variation in summer experiences throughout England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
It was essentially business as usual in many regions of England, particularly in the South, South East, and East of the country.
However, the preliminary statistics showed that, on average, temperatures were lower, there was less sunshine, and significantly more rainfall in several areas of Scotland and the North West.
Storm Lilian was named in August as well, confirming that this storm season is the most active since storm naming was instituted over ten years ago.
Even while this summer may have been colder than previous ones, historical perspective shows that it nevertheless falls within a larger pattern of a general warming trend brought on by climate change.
“While this summer may have felt cool compared to recent years, it’s important to note where it sits in a historical context, with the UK’s changing climate increasing the frequency of warmer summers, as can be observed through our observations,” Emily Carlisle, a scientist at the Met Office, said.
