Contrasting conditions in July, with some cooler than average temperatures, rain, cloud and even a heatwave, combined to make July 2024’s weather statistics close to average for the UK.  

Cooler than average temperatures 

Provisional Met Office statistics show that July was cooler than average in the UK and across all four countries. The average mean UK temperature was 14.8°C. This is 0.5°C below the latest 1991-2020 long-term meteorological average for the month. 

Temperatures were persistently below average across the UK for the first two weeks and by the 15^th of July, the mean temperature was 2.0°C below average in what was provisionally the coldest start to July since 2004. The monthly mean temperature is calculated from daily maximum and minimum temperatures obtained from a network of observational stations across the UK.  

Temperatures increased in the third week briefly, before low pressure brought more unsettled weather. The last week of the month saw high pressure in charge, with the highest temperature of the year so far recorded on 30^th of July with 32°C at Kew Gardens and Heathrow.  

This will be the third spell in which we have reached over 30°C this year, with the other occasions being in late June and mid-July. However, all spells of summer warmth so far have tended to be brief.  

Interestingly, July 2024’s average mean temperature of 14.8°C is considered warmer than average when compared to the 1961-1990 meteorological averaging period for July. The long-term average July mean temperature for that period was 14.4°C, compared to the 1991-2020 long-term average of 15.3°C, which demonstrates the warming trend the UK is experiencing as a result of human induced climate change.  

This graph shows the daily mean temperature for July 2024, plotted against the long-term meteorological average (1991-2020). 

Below average sunshine for many 

Sunshine hours for the UK were below average, with 153.7 hours of sunshine (11% less than the long-term meteorological average). Neither England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales reached their average monthly sunshine this month. 

Average rainfall for the UK but wet for some 

While there was much regional variation, the UK provisionally experienced around average rainfall. 

The UK recorded 82.4mm which is the long-term meteorological average. England, however, saw 19% more rainfall than its average, recording 79.0mm. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were all slightly drier than average.  

Met Office scientist Emily Carlisle explained: “The start of July continued June’s theme of cooler than average weather, but with the addition of more wet conditions.  

“Low pressure across the UK led to unsettled weather at the beginning of the month and several frontal systems brought bands of rain. Areas of southwest, southeast and northeast England had already received more than the average July rainfall by the 15^th.” 

Summer so far 

Meteorological summer in the UK so far (June and July combined) has recorded below average mean temperatures, rainfall and around average sunshine hours.  

Statistics can change quite quickly in a UK summer and there’s still plenty of time for shifts in the figures.  

A comprehensive review of the UK climate and significant weather events through 2023 was published last week. Read the State of the UK Climate report here.  

Today, the Met Office celebrates its 170^th birthday. Since its very beginnings on 1 August 1854, the organisation has been a pioneer of weather and climate science, and it is now one of the leading forecasting and research centres in the world.

We gather around 200 billion weather observations a day, generating in the region of 3,000 forecasts from our advanced atmospheric model and a supercomputer which can perform 14,000 trillion calculations per second.

Although over the years our technical advances have been vast, our purpose is no different today than it was then;

‘Helping you make better decisions to stay safe and thrive.‘

On the 1 August 1854, Vice Admiral Robert FitzRoy was appointed by the Board of Trade to lead the fledgling Meteorological Office, whose purpose was to further understand the nature of the weather in the oceans, particularly the Atlantic Ocean, in order to protect life and property at sea.

FitzRoy believed we could save lives at sea by understanding weather patterns. In 1859, a violent storm wrecked the ship Royal Charter and many others, costing the lives of hundreds of people.

FitzRoy believed this kind of event could be forecast in advance – giving people the necessary time to prepare. This belief led to the launch of a national storm warning system and the writing of the first public weather forecast on 31 July 1861, which appeared in The Times newspaper.

Read more about our history here

Our impact

Since then, the Met Office has pioneered the science of meteorology and its application. Nationally, we help government, businesses, emergency responders, the public, and many others to make informed decisions.

We are the organisation behind many of the forecasts you see on TV, websites or smartphone apps, and we are responsible for the UK’s National Severe Weather Warnings.

On an extreme weather day, our public website and mobile apps see around 20.6 million page views and 2.1 terabytes of data downloaded.

Our forecasting has supported British and allied defence operations worldwide for more than 100 years. From our crucial D-Day landings forecast, to our Mobile Met Unit today, who continue to support the armed forces wherever they are in the world.

Every day our impact can be seen on a regional, national and international scale. Our forecasts:

• keep airlines flying safely
• our roads flowing freely
• our railway lines working efficiently
• help our utilities companies keep the power on

Exceptional science and ground-breaking research

We’re also advancing global understanding of our changing climate through ground-breaking research that underpins critical services vital for UK resilience, supporting communities, industry and government to better prepare for future climate risk.

Through the work of the Hadley Centre Climate Programme and our UK Climate Projections analysis tool, we provide authoritative scientific advice to government and customers on climate. We employ more than 500 scientists, who have had over 6,000 peer-reviewed papers published since 1981.

The Met Office has contributed to all six IPCC Assessment Reports and through our consultancy services, our experts give crucial advice and support that leads to effective action being taken when it matters.

Looking further ahead, our investment in data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence will help us meet the challenges of the future.

Met Office Chief Executive Professor Penny Endersby said in an interview with Civil Service World magazine:

“I am proud every day of the difference we make to the lives of people in the UK and across the globe and the contribution we make to ensuring that the challenges from a changing climate are understood, and the world is as prepared as possible to limit warming and adapt to the changes which are already inevitable.”

If you’d like to find out more about our history, check out our National Meteorological Archive and our Digital Library and Archive, which includes digital copies of some of our unique and fascinating archive treasures.

Take a look at our Google Arts and Culture project page that brings to life highlights from the National Meteorological Archive alongside the current work of the Met Office in a series of digital stories.

You can get an accurate weather forecast  by using our mobile app, which is available for iPhone from the App store and for Android from the Google Play store, by using our forecast pages and by following us on Twitter and Facebook.

Warmer weather, flooding, and droughts are already affecting rugby, but how will the increasing effects of climate change impact rugby in the future?

A new report by World Rugby (the rugby union governing body), has identified six major climate risks which could impact the sport, either directly or indirectly, in the future if action is not taken to increase the sport’s resilience against the risks of climate change.

The Climate Change and Rugby report investigated climate hazards across ten countries (Argentina, Australia, England, Fiji, France, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, and the USA), and found there would be significant impacts for each region if global average temperature were to reach levels of +2°C above a pre-industrial level.

The IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) states that since the Industrial Revolution, the average temperature of the planet has risen by around 1.1°C.

Using a methodology which includes projections alongside observations, research by the Met Office indicates the current global warming level could be as high as 1.25°C. This is a rapid change in terms of our global climate system and is already leading to changes in the extreme weather we experience on the Earth’s surface.

Extreme heat days

As global temperatures rise, so do the instances of extreme heat days (days in which the temperature exceeds 35°C). This not only puts rugby players at risk, but fans of the sport too. This has been seen in other sports in the past where matches have needed to be called off because of scorching temperatures. For example, in 2014, play had to be suspended on all uncovered courts for more than 4 hours at the Australian open due to temperatures rising to over 40°C, causing a risk of heat exhaustion or heatstroke for the athletes.

World Rugby’s report found that six out of the ten countries they investigated would face ten or more additional days each year where playing rugby would be ill advised or even impossible due to climbing temperatures.

Increased frequency and intensity of droughts

Droughts affect the availability of water, and reduced access to this resource could result in drier, harder and less grassy pitches. The report indicates that dry conditions will reduce the quality of playing surfaces, affecting ball bounce and player movement. This could also increase the risk of players getting injured when athletes tumble onto hard ground. Half of all countries in the study would likely see an increase in the frequency and intensity of droughts, leading to less days where pitches are suitable for use.

Marine submersion and flooding risks

The report shows that rising sea levels pose a threat to stadiums near the coast, while flash floods caused by the increased frequency and intensity of rain pose a threat to both coastal pitches and those further inland. Floods could make stadiums inaccessible for extended periods of time, as even after the water subsides, turf and building structures can be left with substantial damage. Repairing stadiums after flooding can be costly and take a long time. World Rugby says that 11% of the 111 stadiums in the report can expect to see an increased annual submersion risk, while eight out of ten countries studied will face an increase in the frequency and intensity of heavy precipitation and flash floods.

Increased humidity

Increased humidity can cause additional heat-related suffering for athletes, officials, and spectators. Higher levels of humidity can make heat feel more intense and reduce the body’s ability to perform certain functions, such as sweating. Additionally, high levels of humidity can cause issues with the health and growth of certain grass varieties that may be used on pitches. The report found that most climate regions will experience periods of higher humidity, impacting the ability to play rugby.

Adaptation

To reduce the impacts of climate change on rugby, some adaptations will need to be made in the future. World Rugby has suggested in their report the development and implementation of individual sustainability plans, to help reduce rugby’s environmental impact. As well as this, climate projections will need to be considered when implementing new policies to prepare the game for a changing climate.

In a recent blog, we shared details of a piece of work by the Met Office which explores expected future climatic conditions for a range of range of cultural, sporting and social events across the UK. The study compares observations and climate projections for temperature and rainfall may change in the future for the start of the Six Nations (February) at the Twickenham (London), Murrayfield (Edinburgh) and Principality (Cardiff) stadiums.