 The summer heatwave of 2022 broke records, becoming the hottest summer since records began in 1884. Even the biggest sun-worshippers struggled as UK temperatures were measured at over 40°C for the first time. The heatwave led to around 3,000 excess deaths, led to droughts which triggered widespread hosepipe bans, and disrupted transport. But the Met Office has now warned that by 2060, those scorching temperatures will be considered an 'average year', the Telegraph reports. And it believes both the July heatwave and the record-breaking warm year were made more likely by climate change. Its annual report into the UK's climate is based on the assumption that carbon emissions will peak around 2045 and then start falling. Mike Kendon, from the Met Office's national climate information centre, said there would be 'very, very many more days exceeding 30°C, 32°C and 35°C' in the future under that emissions scenario. He added: 'UK climate projections show that even under a medium emissions scenario, a year like 2022, currently the warmest year on record, could be the norm by the middle of the century and relatively cool by the end of the century. Beaches were extremely busy (Picture: PA) The grass in Greenwich Park and other green areas turned brown due to the dry heat (Picture: PA) Temperatures exceeded 40°C (Picture: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) 'Our climate in the UK has a lot of year-to-year variability, but taken overall, 2022 is a potential warning of what we should expect in the future.' The UK's extreme temperatures are changing much faster than its average temperature, the report found, because the extremes are influenced by hot air from the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa. Other findings in the report include: Winter, spring, summer and autumn 2022 were all ranked in the top 10 warmest seasons for the UK in series f){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
The summer heatwave of 2022 broke records, becoming the hottest summer since records began in 1884.
Even the biggest sun-worshippers struggled as UK temperatures were measured at over 40°C for the first time.
The heatwave led to around 3,000 excess deaths, led to droughts which triggered widespread hosepipe bans, and disrupted transport.
But the Met Office has now warned that by 2060, those scorching temperatures will be considered an ‘average year’, the Telegraph reports.