Official News Blog
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BlogWarnings for thunderstorms issued, but why do we get them in warm weather?Warnings for thunderstorms have been issued for many western parts of the UK in the coming days, as a transition to the weather pattern is on the way.Read more -
BlogPollen forecast: High levels across the UKPollen levels remain very high across much of the UK at the end of June, with grass pollen continuing to dominate and weed pollen also contributing to high overall levels in many areas.Read more -
BlogSupporting the British Red Cross to build resilience to extreme heatA new prototype website tool has been created to help people working and volunteering at the British Red Cross better understand their climate-related risk, make climate-informed decisions for adaptation and enhance resilience to extreme heat events in a changing climate.Read more
New portal improves air quality data accessibility
A new portal is providing free, public access to nearly two decades of air quality data across the UK.
Navigating My First Weeks at the Met Office and Championing Climate Science
In this blog, Professor Rowan Sutton writes about his first month here at the Met Office as he takes up the role of Director of the Met Office Hadley Centre.
Collaborating for energy network resilience
The UK Government’s plans to transition to clean energy are crucial to achieving Net Zero targets and are built on a foundation of renewable generation. Just as delivering clean energy is far more complex and wide reaching than just wind and solar capability, so too, is the Met Office’s role in supporting the energy sector.
The unbelievable May that had everyone talking
“I’m not sure anyone believes you, it was a very cold month”, “My heating was on all month”. Just two examples of the replies to our statistics release that May 2024 was the warmest on record for UK mean temperature in a series dating back to 1884. In a month that was wet and dull for many, people certainly didn’t feel that May was a record breaking month. But what could cause such a disconnect between perception and statistical reality?
Archived blog posts
Can't find the blog post you're looking for? Some of our older posts have been archived and were not moved across to the Met Office website when we moved the blog.
Summer temperature 2018 – the ‘new normal’?
The Met Office Chief Scientist, Professor Stephen Belcher, appeared on BBC Newsnight on Tuesday evening to talk about current extreme temperatures and climate change.
What is a Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW)?
You may have heard talk of the UK possibly seeing some colder weather next week and that ‘things going on’ in the upper atmosphere may be playing a part. The ‘thing’ happening in the atmosphere is known as Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW). When it does happen, it attracts a lot of interest in the UK because it is sometimes linked to the onset of cold weather in winter. Here we shed a little bit more light on the phenomenon.
Why the Met Office is launching a new extreme heat warning
Although hot weather can often be seen as ‘good news’ and is enjoyed by many, it can have serious consequences. Research shows that, as a result of climate change, we are now much more likely to see prolonged spells of hot weather here in the UK.
An update on a record breaking June
On Monday 2nd July we released our provisional climate statistics for June: an exceptional month resulting in a number of new climate records, including the warmest June on record for Wales and Northern Ireland.
Summer 2022: a historic season for northern hemisphere heatwaves
Today [Tuesday 19 July 2022] has been a momentous day for the UK’s climate. Professor Stephen Belcher – Met Office Chief Scientist – and Prof Paul Davies – Met Office Chief Meteorologist – put the UK’s and European heatwave into a global context.
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This is the official blog of the Met Office news team, intended to provide journalists and bloggers with the latest weather, climate science and business news.
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