Summer ‘warmer than usual but wet’

BRITAIN ENJOYED a warmer than average summer despite soggy weather dampening holiday plans, the Met Office has said.

The UK saw the 11th wettest summer on record but temperatures between June 1 and August 30 were 0.41C above the longterm average.

Met Office climate scientist Mark McCarthy said: “People may well remember the 2017 summer as a bit of a damp squib, but interestingly, although it has been notably wetter than average for many areas, it has also been warmer than average. The warm settled periods at the end of June and the beginning of July helped boost the average temperatures.”

The hottest days of the year were recorded in the early part of the summer, with June ranking as the fifth warmest in records dating back to 1910, the Met Office said.

According to the forecaster’s data, which does not take into account weather on August 31, the season was also wetter than normal. The UK had 320mm of rain over the summer, 32.8 per cent more than the average of 241mm.

It marks the highest amount since summer 2012, when 379.2mm was recorded.

The average temperature across the UK during the summer was 14.73C (59F), according to the provisional data. England was the warmest of the home countries, recording a mean of 16.06C (61F).

Today is predicted to be sunny across much of Yorkshire but tomorrow will be cool and overcast.