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Weather extremes
National weather records are shown in the tables below. Last updated December 2011.
These weather records are only given for stations with standard instruments and exposure, to ensure consistency. Although there are a few instances where records have been broken by non-standard stations, these are not accepted as official records for this reason.
Select a climate parameter:
Temperature
Select the country name for monthly temperature records.
More information about daily temperature records.
All daily maximum and minimum temperature records quoted below are based on the period 0900–0900 GMT
Automatic weather stations also report day-time 0900–2100 GMT and night-time 2100–0900 GMT maximum and minimum temperatures.
Day-time and night-time values should not be compared directly against daily records, particularly for highest daily minimum and lowest daily maximum. In some unusual weather situations the day-time minimum may be lower than the night-time minimum. Alternatively, the night-time maximum may be higher than the day-time maximum. In either situation this makes a comparison with the daily records invalid.
We do not quote highest/lowest maximum/minimum day-time and night-time records separately. The main reason is that manual climate stations only report daily 0900–0900 GMT maximum and minimum temperatures. These manual stations form a significant proportion of the overall station network, particularly further in the past. Therefore the compilation of day-time and night-time temperature records would be based on an incomplete station network.
| Country | Temperature | Date | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 38.5 | °C | 10 August 2003 | Faversham (Kent) |
| Wales | 35.2 | °C | 2 August 1990 | Hawarden Bridge (Flintshire) |
| Scotland | 32.9 | °C | 9 August 2003 | Greycrook (Scottish Borders) |
| Northern Ireland | 30.8 | °C | 30 June 1976 | Knockarevan (County Fermanagh) |
| 12 July 1983 | Shaw's Bridge, Belfast (County Antrim) | |||
Highest daily maximum temperature records by district
| Country | Temperature | Date | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 23.9 | °C | 3 August 1990 | Brighton (East Sussex) |
| Wales | 22.2 | °C | 19 July 1948 | Swansea, Victoria Park (West Glamorgan) |
| Scotland | 20.5 | °C | 2 August 1995 | Creebridge (Wigtownshire) |
| Northern Ireland | 20.6 | °C | 31 July 1868 | Armagh (County Armagh) |
| Country | Temperature | Date | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland | -15.9 | °C | 29 December 1995 | Fyvie Castle (Aberdeenshire) |
| England | -11.3 | °C | 11 January 1982 | Newport (Shropshire) |
| Northern Ireland | -11.3 | °C | 23 December 2010 | Edenfel (County Tyrone) |
| Wales | -8.0 | °C | 12 January 1987 | Trecastle (Dyfed) |
| Country | Temperature | Date | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland | -27.2 | °C | 11 February 1895 | Braemar (Aberdeenshire) |
| 10 January 1982 | Braemar (Aberdeenshire) | |||
| 30 December 1995 | Altnaharra (Highland) | |||
| England | -26.1 | °C | 10 January 1982 | Newport (Shropshire) |
| Wales | -23.3 | °C | 21 January 1940 | Rhayader (Powys) |
| Northern Ireland* | -18.7 | °C | 24 December 2010 | Castlederg (County Tyrone) |
* -19.4 °C was recorded on 23 January 1881 at Omagh (County Tyrone), from a screen mounted on a north-facing wall. Due to the non-standard nature of this station, this is not accepted as the official minimum temperature record for Northern Ireland.
Lowest daily minimum temperature records by district
Sunshine hours
| Country | Hours | Date | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 383.9 | hours | July 1911 | Eastbourne (Sussex) |
| Wales | 354.3 | hours | July 1955 | Dale Fort (Pembrokeshire) |
| Scotland | 329.1 | hours | May 1975 | Tiree (Argyll & Bute) |
| Northern Ireland | 298.0 | hours | June 1940 | Mount Stewart (County Down) |
Gust speed
| Country | Speed | Date | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland | 123 142 |
knots mph |
13 February 1989 | Fraserburgh (Aberdeenshire) |
| Northern Ireland | 108 124 |
knots mph |
12 January 1974 | Kilkeel (County Down) |
| Wales | 108 124 |
knots mph |
28 October 1989 | Rhoose (Vale of Glamorgan) |
| England | 103 118 |
knots mph |
15 December 1979 | Gwennap Head (Cornwall) |
The highest gust speed from a high level site is 150 knots (173 mph) at Cairngorm Summit (1,245 metres AMSL) on 20 March 1986.
Gust speed records by district
Rainfall
| England | 279 mm | 18 July 1955 | Martinstown (Dorset) |
| Scotland | 238 mm | 17 January 1974 | Sloy Main Adit (Argyll & Bute) |
| Wales | 211 mm | 11 November 1929 | Lluest Wen Reservoir (Mid Glamorgan) |
| Northern Ireland | 159 mm | 31 October 1968 | Tollymore Forest (County Down) |
The highest 24-hour total for any 24-hour period is 316.4 mm from 0000 to 2359 on 19th November 2009 at Seathwaite, Cumbria.
| Highest 2-day total | 395.6 mm | 18 to 19 November 2009 | Seathwaite (Cumbria) |
| Highest 3-day total | 456.4 mm | 17 to 19 November 2009 | Seathwaite (Cumbria) |
| Highest 4-day total | 495.0 mm | 16 to 19 November 2009 | Seathwaite (Cumbria) |
| Highest 5-minute total | *32 mm | 10 August 1893 | Preston (Lancashire) |
| Highest 30-minute total | 80 mm | 26 June 1953 | Eskdalemuir (Dumfries & Galloway) |
| Highest 60-minute total | 92 mm | 12 July 1901 | Maidenhead (Berkshire) |
| Highest 90-minute total | 117 mm | 8 August 1967 | Dunsop Valley (Lancashire) |
| Highest 120-minute total | #193 mm | 19 May 1989 | Walshaw Dean Lodge (West Yorkshire) |
| Highest 120-minute total | #155 mm | 11 June 1956 | Hewenden Reservoir (West Yorkshire) |
| Highest 155-minute total | 169 mm | 14 August 1975 | Hampstead (Greater London) |
| Highest 180-minute total | 178 mm | 7 October 1960 | Horncastle (Lincolnshire) |
* Approximate value
# Reservations about Walshaw value, Hewenden value is next highest
accepted value.
