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Climate - England


Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine

Flag - England

Map - England

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In England, the climate is temperate and influenced by the ocean, and it's cool for most of the year.

Rainfall is more abundant in the western part: it exceeds 800 millimeters (31 inches) per year in Liverpool and Manchester, while it reaches 1,000 mm (40 in) in the south-west, in Plymouth.
In the north-west, in Cumbria, the Lake District (see Ambleside), where there are hills that force wet Atlantic air masses to rise (including Scafell Pike, England's highest mountain, 978 meters or 3,209 feet), is particularly rainy. In Seathwaite, the rainiest inhabited place in England, 3,550 mm (140 in) of rain fall per year, while in Sprinkling Tarn, a pond at 600 meters of altitude, it reaches 5,000 mm (195 in).
In the eastern and southern plains, the rains are still quite frequent but they are not abundant, so much so that they often drop below 700 mm (27.5 in) per year, and sometimes even 600 mm (23.5 in), as happens in Ipswich and Cambridge, in the south-east, or in Middlesbrough and Sunderland, which are in the north-east, east of the Pennine Chain.

Fog can be formed in the inland areas of England at night, in periods in which a high pressure system dominates, in autumn and winter. Instead, from April to September, sea fog can form on the north-eastern coasts, in Yorkshire and Northumberland.

Winter in England is cold and cloudy, sometimes foggy, sometimes windy. The average temperatures in this season don't vary much from north to south: in January, they are around 3/4 °C (37/39 °F) in the north (see Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Sunderland), around 4/5 °C (39/41 °F) in che center-south (see Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, London), and around 5,5/6 °C (42/43) in the far south (see Southampton, Brighton).
In fact, the southernmost regions are the farthest from the Pole, but they are also the closest to the European mainland, from which cold air masses of Russian origin can arrive during winter. For this reason, the east side (which includes London) is also more prone to snowfall. However, these snowy or freezing periods are typically short-lived; in fact, here too, as in Scotland, the westerlies tend to come back after a short time.
Given that cold air masses reach Scotland from the north and England from the east, it's not surprising that, in addition to West Wales, the mildest area is south-western England (Devon and Cornwall), where the average temperature in January and February hovers around 6.5 °C (43.5 °F, see Plymouth). Here, snowfalls and frosts are rare.
On the tip of Cornwall, on the Isles of Scilly and the islets of the English Channel (see Jersey, Guernsey), there are microclimates in which the absence of frost allows for the growth of subtropical plant species. On the other hand, in the south-west, which is so much exposed to Atlantic currents, rainfall is more abundant.
Spring in England is very cool, and the temperature increases slowly; rainfall is still frequent, but it's not as abundant as in autumn and winter. In March, and sometimes even in April, there may be cold periods, with occasional snowfalls, more likely in inland and northern areas.
Late spring is the sunniest period of the year, despite the almost daily presence of clouds; the wind also reduces its intensity and frequency. In May, the country is covered with flowers.

Oxford

June is a nice month: the days are long, nature is in bloom (also thanks to the passion of the British for gardening), and the temperatures are pleasant. However, there can be, as always, rain and showers.
Unlike in winter, during summer, the temperature increases from the north-west to the south-east, so the highest temperatures are found in the area of London. In fact, daytime temperatures in July range from 19 °C (66 °F) in Newcastle, to 20.5 °C (69 °F) in Manchester, to 22 °C (71.5 °F) in Birmingham, and to 24 °C (75 °F) in the London area. In the south-west, which during winter was the mildest area, summer is cool: lows are around 13 °C (55 °F) and highs around 20 °C (68 °F).
Even in summer, the weather is variable across the country, so that it can change from day to day, or several times during the same day.
The south of England is the area most subject to hot periods, when currents from Spain can bring a taste of Mediterranean summer, and the temperature may even reach 35 °C (95 °F). These periods do not occur every year and usually only last a few days, however, in recent years they are becoming more frequent due to global warming. In July 2022, the temperature reached 40 °C (104 °F) for the first time, in London and other locations in the interior of England, not only of the south.
During summer, the rains are more frequent and abundant in the north than in the south: in Manchester, there are on average 11 days with rainfall in July, while they are "only" 8 in London.
Sometimes in summer, thunderstorms can burst, especially in inland and southern areas, often accompanied by wind gusts.
In Northern England, the sky is often cloudy: in Liverpool and Manchester, the sun shines at most for 6 hours a day from May to July; it goes a bit better in the south, where in some areas (see London), it reaches 7 hours, and even more so on the southern coast (see Plymouth, Brighton, Eastbourne), where it can reach 7.5/8 hours.
Autumn in England is gray and rainy, sometimes windy. In November, the first occasional snowfalls can be occur.

Newcastle

Newcastle upon Tyne is in the northeast, a short distance from the coast. Here, the average temperature ranges from 4 °C (39 °F) in January to 15 °C (59 °F) in July. Here are the average temperatures.
Newcastle - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January264354339.2
February274.4354539.9
March295.7364842.2
April4117.5395245.5
May61410.2435850.4
June91712.9486255.3
July111915526659
August111915526658.9
September91712.8486255
October6139.6435549.3
November496.3384843.4
December274.1354439.4
Year5.612.48.954254.348

Precipitation amounts to 650 mm (25.5 in) per year, and is well distributed throughout the year, although the wettest season is autumn. Here is the average rainfall.
Newcastle - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January50211
February401.69
March451.810
April552.210
May451.89
June552.210
July552.29
August602.410
September552.29
October602.411
November702.812
December552.212
Year65025.6122

In Newcastle, there are 1,450 hours of sunshine a year. They are not many, however, the sunniest period goes from May to August. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.
Newcastle - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January260
February380
March3.5115
April5150
May6180
June5.5165
July5.5170
August5.5165
September4.5135
October3.5105
November265
December1.550
Year41445

The sea in Newcastle is cold even in summer, and reaches just 15 °C (59 °F) August. Here is the average sea temperature.
Newcastle - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January745
February643
March643
April745
May949
June1253
July1458
August1560
September1457
October1254
November1050
December847
Year10.250.4

Liverpool

Liverpool is located further south, and on the west coast. Here are the average temperatures.
Liverpool - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January385.3374641.5
February385.6374742
March4107.2395044.9
April6139.3425548.8
May81612.3476154.1
June111915526558.9
July132016.8566962.3
August132016.6566861.9
September111814.3526457.8
October81411.2475752.1
November6108425146.4
December385.6384642.1
Year7.513.710.645.656.751

In Liverpool, precipitation is at an intermediate level, in fact, it amounts to 835 mm (33 in) per year. Here is the average precipitation.
Liverpool - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January75314
February552.211
March652.613
April552.210
May552.211
June652.611
July602.410
August702.811
September702.812
October953.715
November853.315
December903.514
Year83532.9145

In Liverpool too, the sun does not shine very often, and here too, the sunniest period goes from May to August. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.
Liverpool - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January255
February2.570
March3.5105
April5155
May6.5205
June6.5190
July6.5195
August5.5175
September4.5135
October395
November265
December1.545
Year4.11500

Plymouth

Plymouth is located on the southern coast, the mildest and sunniest in England. Here are the average temperatures.
Plymouth - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January496.6404843.9
February496.5394843.7
March5117.8415146
April6139.6435649.4
May91612.2476053.9
June111814.8526558.7
July132016.6566861.9
August132016.7566862
September111814.9536558.8
October91512.2495953.9
November7129.3445348.7
December5107.2414944.9
Year8.114.311.246.757.752

The south-west of England is a fairly rainy area. In Plymouth, rainfall amounts to 1,000 mm (40 in) per year, but in inland areas of Devon and Cornwall it also reaches 2,000 mm (80 in). Here is the average precipitation in Plymouth.
Plymouth - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January1104.315
February903.513
March75312
April702.811
May602.410
June652.610
July652.610
August803.111
September702.810
October1104.315
November1204.716
December1254.916
Year104040.9149

The temperature of the sea in England increases gradually from north to south, so that in August it reaches 17 °C (63 °F) in the south, as you can see from the average water temperature near Plymouth (and also near Brighton, on the coast to the south of London).
Plymouth - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January1050
February949
March949
April1050
May1153
June1456
July1660
August1762
September1661
October1558
November1355
December1253
Year12.654.7

London is located in the south-east, in a relatively dry area, and which in summer is more easily exposed to warm currents from the south.

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