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UK records warmest year ever: Which other European countries broke temperature records in 2022?

On Wednesday, experts revealed that 2022 was the UK’s hottest year on record.

Average temperatures were over 10°C for the first time ever according to Met Office figures.

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

He added that it comes as no surprise as all 10 of the years with the highest average temperatures have occurred since 2003.

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

Dr Mark McCarthy

Head of the Met Office’s National Climate Information Centre

“It is clear from the observational record that human induced global warming is already impacting the UK’s climate.”

And these record-breaking temperatures are likely to become more frequent, according to a study by Met Office scientists.

REUTERS/Maja Smialkowska

People watch the sunset from Greenwich Park viewpoint, during a heatwave in London.REUTERS/Maja Smialkowska

“The results showed that recording [a] 10°C [average] in a natural climate would occur around once every 500 years, whereas in our current climate, it could be as frequent as once every three to four years,” says Met Office attribution scientist Dr Nikos Christidis.

If the planet warms by 2.7°C by the end of this century — as is projected with current global emissions targets- an average temperature of 10°C could “occur almost every year”, he adds.

The UK recorded the hottest New Year’s Day on record at the start of 2023 after 16.3°C was recorded at St James’s Park in London. Scotland and Wales also broke records for their New Year’s Day temperatures.

Where else in Europe was 2022 the hottest year on record?

The UK wasn’t the only place to experience record temperatures last year.

As Europe experiences a heatwave unlike anything the continent has experienced before, many national weather services have now released data on 2022’s temperatures.

France’s temperatures are ‘symptomatic of climate change’

In November, Météo-France declared 2022 the warmest year since records began in 1900. Provisional figures put average temperatures for the year between 14.2-14.6°C, far exceeding the previous record of 14°C set in 2020.

All months of the year except January and April were warmer than usual and average rainfall was 25 per cent lower than normal.

“Punctuated by climate extremes, 2022 is symptomatic of climate change,” France’s national weather service said in a statement.

AP Photo/Michael Probst

A man uses cool morning hours for a run on a small road in the outskirts of Frankfurt, GermanyAP Photo/Michael Probst

Germany’s record-breaking year should be an ‘incentive’ to act on climate change

At the end of December, the German Weather Service’s (DWD) annual summary confirmed that 2022 will have at least tied for the country’s hottest year on record, with an average temperature of 10.5°C.

DWD’s head scientist for climate and the environment warned that the record-breaking heat last year “should be a renewed incentive for us all to finally move from talking to taking action on climate protection.”

Ireland sees its 12th consecutive warmest year

Ireland saw a year of hot, dry weather too. Met Éireann said 2022 was provisionally the warmest year since 1900 — breaking records previously set in 1945 and 2007.

The average for the year was 10.8°C marking the 12th consecutive year where temperatures were above normal. 21 of the 22 years this century have been above normal, the country’s weather service said.

AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti

A view of the Ter river running dry toward a reservoir near Vilanova de Sau, Catalonia, Spain.AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti

Spain experiences high temperatures and a lack of rain

Spain also experienced its hottest year on record in 2022. For the first time ever, average yearly temperatures surpassed 15°C, according to Aemet, the country’s national weather service.

Spain saw repeated heatwaves from May to October with some “extremely warm” months, Aemet said in its preliminary report last month. It has left levels in reservoirs low causing Barcelona and parts of Catalonia to impose water restrictions due to a lack of rain.

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