2022 was the hottest year on record - but it's here to stay

The unprecedented heatwave that scorched the United Kingdom last summer, notching up a record-breaking temperature of 40C and ravaging the landscape with wildfires, serves as a forewarning of the country's future climate, according to scientists.

Furthermore, 2022 has officially been confirmed as the hottest year ever recorded in the UK, both by the Met Office's records since 1884 and the Central England Temperature record, which dates back to 1659.

These significant milestones in UK climate history offer a glimpse of what lies ahead in the coming decades, warns the Met Office. As long as greenhouse gas emissions continue unchecked, the Earth will continue to experience escalating temperatures.

Mike Kendon, a climate scientist at the Met Office and lead author of the recently released report titled "State Of The UK Climate 2022," regarded the 40C milestone as a pivotal moment in climate history.

The annual Met Office report, which monitors the UK's evolving climate, reveals that temperatures above 36C are becoming increasingly common.

Comparing temperature records, the report shows that between 1961 and 1990, the highest recorded temperature was 31.3C.

This figure increased to 33.5C between 1991 and 2020, rose again to 35.7C between 2013 and 2022, and ultimately reached an all-time high of 40.3C in 2022.

In addition to temperature changes, the report also highlights the impact on wildlife and plant life during the changing seasons. Data gathered from the citizen science project "Nature's Calendar" indicates that an early spring and late autumn were observed in 2022, attributed to a mild February and warm October.

Leaves remained on trees for 16 days longer than the average between 1999 and 2021, and certain flowers and insects emerged earlier than usual. While last year was relatively dry, it did not reach the extreme conditions of the record-breaking drought of 1976.

Nonetheless, the UK is generally experiencing wetter weather patterns throughout the year. Five out of the ten wettest years since 1836 occurred in the 21st century, with February, April, June, November, and December witnessing their wettest records post-2009.

Furthermore, the report draws attention to rising sea levels caused by melting ice sheets in polar regions. Long-term trends indicate that the rate of sea-level rise has doubled in recent years compared to the 20th century.