Monthly average daily temperatures in the United Kingdom 2015-2023

Monthly daily average temperatures in the United Kingdom typically follow a similar pattern each year, with the summer months recording the highest temperatures. Since 2015, the highest average daily temperature in the United Kingdom was recorded in July 2018, at 18.7 degrees Celsius. The summer of 2018 was the joint hottest since institutions began recording temperatures in 1910. By comparison, the summer months of 2022 had a peak average temperature of 18.3 degrees Celsius as recorded in August. One noticeable anomaly during this period was in December 2015, when the average daily temperature reached 9.5 degrees Celsius. This month also experienced the highest monthly rainfall in the UK since before 2014, with England, Wales, and Scotland suffering widespread flooding.

Daily hours of sunshine

Unsurprisingly, the heat wave which spread across the British Isles in 2018 was the result of particularly sunny weather. July of 2018 saw an average of 8.7 daily sun hours in the UK. This was less hours of sun than was recorded in July 2023, which only saw 5.2 hours of sun.

Temperatures are on the rise

Since the 1960s, there has been an increase in regional temperatures across the UK. Between 1961 and 1990, temperatures in England averaged nine degrees Celsius, and in the period of 2012 to 2021, average temperatures in the country had increased to 10.2. Due to its relatively southern location, England continues to rank as the warmest country in the UK.