Met Office: 2022 was UK's warmest year on record

Last year was the warmest on record in the UK, according to the Met Office.

The average annual temperature topped 10°C for the first time, representing a “notable moment” in the country’s climatological history, the bureau said.

All four UK nations set new records, with England seeing the highest average temperature at 10.94°C, followed by Wales at 10.23°C, Northern Ireland at 9.85°C and Scotland at 8.50°C.

That made the temperature across the country over the 12-month period 10.03°C, beating the previous all-time high of 9.88°C in 2014.

Data shows 15 of the UK's top 20 warmest years on record have all occurred this century, with the entire top 10 within the past two decades.

Dr Mark McCarthy, head of the Met Office's National Climate Information Centre, said: "Although an arbitrary number, the UK surpassing an annual average temperature of 10°C is a notable moment in our climatological history.

"This moment comes as no surprise, since 1884 all the 10 years recording the highest annual temperature have occurred from 2003.

"It is clear from the observational record that human-induced global warming is already impacting the UK's climate."

Scroll through the gallery below to see the UK's heatwave last summer

Figures also show that last year was the warmest on record in the 364-year Central England Temperature series, the world's longest-running temperature dataset.

The annual mean CET for 2022 was 11.1°C, beating the previous record of 11.0°C in 2014.

The mercury on July 19 hit more than 40°C for the first time, reaching 40.3°C in Coningsby, Lincolnshire.

The hot spell in July led to the Met Office issuing a red warning for extreme heat for the first time.

Wales also recorded a new daily maximum temperature record of 37.1°C, while Scotland set a new record of 34.8°C.

A drought was in August declared in much of London and across vast swathes of England and hosepipe bans were implemented.

The extreme measures were brought in after the UK endured the driest first six months of the year since 1976.

Scroll through the gallery below to see warm weather photo archives in the UK

The UK has endured a cold snap in recent weeks, recording the lowest temperatures since 2010, dropping as low as –17.3°C at Braemar on December 13 following a spell of cool northerly air.

Up to 27 December, the mean temperature for the UK was 2.4°C, which is 1.8°C below the average for the month.

However, January has been one of the warmest in years across Europe.

Temperatures are forecast to range between 2°C to 5°C above normal in France and Germany until January 17, with heating demand in Europe below the 10-year average, according to Maxar and the Weather Company.

The UK is likely to see the mild conditions persist this month, the Met Office said.