Central England temperature dataset, 1659 to 2014.
The Central England Temperature (CET) record is a meteorological dataset originally published by Professor Gordon Manley in 1953 and subsequently extended and updated in 1974, following many decades of painstaking work. The monthly mean surface air temperatures, for the Midlands region of England, are given (in degrees Celsius) from the year 1659 to the present.
This record represents the longest series of monthly temperature observations in existence. It is a valuable dataset for meteorologists and climate scientists. It is monthly from 1659, and a daily version has been produced from 1772. The monthly means from November 1722 onwards are given to a precision of 0.1 °C. The earliest years of the series, from 1659 to October 1722 inclusive, for the most part only have monthly means given to the nearest degree or half a degree, though there is a small 'window' of 0.1 degree precision from 1699 to 1706 inclusive. This reflects the number, accuracy, reliability and geographical spread of the temperature records that were available for the years in question.
Data quality
Although best efforts have been made by Manley and subsequent researchers to quality control the series, there are data problems in the early years, with some non-instrumental data used. These problems account for the lower precision to which the early monthly means were quoted by Manley. Parker et al. (1992)[1] addressed this by not using data prior to 1772, since their daily series required more accurate data than did the original series of monthly means. Before 1722, instrumental records do not overlap and Manley used a non-instrumental series from Utrecht compiled by Labrijn (1945), to make the monthly central England temperature (CET) series complete.
For a period early in the 21st century there were two versions of the series: the "official" version maintained by the Hadley Centre in Exeter, and a version that was maintained by the late Philip Eden which he argued was more consistent with the series as originally compiled by Manley.[2]
The warmest year on record was recorded in 2022, with an average temperature of 11.15 degrees Celsius. This beat the previous 2014 record by 0.2 degrees and was almost 2 degrees over the 1961-1990 average
Trends revealed by the series
CET and its 10-year and 30-year moving averages (orange and black traces, respectively).
[3]This stacked
warming stripes graphic—technically a two-dimensional
heat map—organizes CETs by month (vertically) and by year (horizontally).
[4]During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, a cool period which coincided with cool winters and generally cool summers, the temperatures fluctuated widely but with little trend. From 1910, temperatures increased until about 1950, when they flattened before a sharp rising trend began in about 1975. The warmest decade on record is the 2010s (2011–2020) with a mean temperature of 10.40 °C (50.72 °F).[5][lower-alpha 1]
Both the general warming trend[6] and the hottest year on record at the time, 2014,[7] have been attributed to human-caused climate change using observational and climate model-based techniques. This record was subsequently broken in 2022, when a mean CET of 11.15 C was recorded, 1.68 degrees above the 1961-90 average and breaking the 2014 record by nearly 0.2 Celsius.
Extremes
Taking the 364-year period for the series as a whole:
Hottest
| Period
|
Record Mean
|
Year
|
| Year
|
11.1 °C (52.0 °F) |
2022, 2023[8][9]
|
| Spring (March–May)
|
10.3 °C (50.5 °F) |
2011, 2017
|
| Summer (June–August)
|
17.7 °C (63.9 °F) |
1976
|
| Autumn (September–November)
|
12.6 °C (54.7 °F) |
2006
|
| Winter (December–February)
|
6.8 °C (44.2 °F) |
2015/2016
|
| January
|
7.5 °C (45.5 °F) |
1916
|
| February
|
7.9 °C (46.2 °F) |
1779
|
| March
|
9.2 °C (48.6 °F) |
1957
|
| April
|
11.8 °C (53.2 °F) |
2011
|
| May
|
15.1 °C (59.2 °F) |
1833
|
| June
|
18.2 °C (64.8 °F) |
1846
|
| July
|
19.8 °C (67.6 °F) |
2006
|
| August
|
19.1 °C (66.4 °F) |
1995
|
| September
|
17.0 °C (62.6 °F) |
2023
|
| October
|
13.3 °C (55.9 °F) |
2001
|
| November
|
9.9 °C (49.8 °F) |
1994
|
| December
|
9.6 °C (49.3 °F) |
2015
|
Coldest
| Period
|
Record Mean
|
Year
|
| Year
|
6.9 °C (44.4 °F) |
1740
|
| Spring (March–May)
|
5.6 °C (42.1 °F) |
1837
|
| Summer (June–August)
|
13.1 °C (55.6 °F) |
1725
|
| Autumn (September–November)
|
7.5 °C (45.5 °F) |
1676, 1740, 1786
|
| Winter (December–February)
|
−1.2 °C (29.8 °F) |
1683/1684
|
| January
|
−3.1 °C (26.4 °F) |
1795
|
| February
|
−1.9 °C (28.6 °F) |
1947
|
| March
|
1.0 °C (33.8 °F) |
1674
|
| April
|
4.7 °C (40.5 °F) |
1701 and 1837
|
| May
|
8.5 °C (47.3 °F) |
1698
|
| June
|
11.5 °C (52.7 °F) |
1675
|
| July
|
13.4 °C (56.1 °F) |
1816
|
| August
|
12.9 °C (55.2 °F) |
1912
|
| September
|
10.5 °C (50.9 °F) |
1674, 1675, 1694 and 1807
|
| October
|
5.3 °C (41.5 °F) |
1740
|
| November
|
2.3 °C (36.1 °F) |
1782
|
| December
|
−0.8 °C (30.6 °F) |
1890
|
Mean, maximum and minimum temperatures
Since 1878, the Central England temperature has recorded daily maximum and minimum temperatures; its daily mean records began in 1772. The tables below show the record average max/min for each season and each calendar month since 1878.
Highest minimum
| Period
|
Record Mean
|
Year
|
| Year
|
7.19 °C (44.94 °F) |
2006[10]
|
| Spring (March–May)
|
5.97 °C (42.75 °F) |
1999[11]
|
| Summer (June–August)
|
12.40 °C (54.32 °F) |
2003
|
| Autumn (September–November)
|
9.10 °C (48.38 °F) |
2006
|
| Winter (December–February)
|
3.83 °C (38.89 °F) |
1934/35
|
| January
|
5.2 °C (41.4 °F) |
1916
|
| February
|
4.3 °C (39.7 °F) |
1903 and 1926
|
| March
|
5.6 °C (42.1 °F) |
1957
|
| April
|
6.5 °C (43.7 °F) |
2011
|
| May
|
8.9 °C (48.0 °F) |
1889 and 1952
|
| June
|
11.6 °C (52.9 °F) |
2017
|
| July
|
14.0 °C (57.2 °F) |
1983
|
| August
|
14.0 °C (57.2 °F) |
1997
|
| September
|
12.8 °C (55.0 °F) |
2006
|
| October
|
10.2 °C (50.4 °F) |
2001
|
| November
|
7.7 °C (45.9 °F) |
1994
|
| December
|
7.0 °C (44.6 °F) |
2015
|
Lowest minimum
| Period
|
Record Mean
|
Year
|
| Year
|
4.36 °C (39.85 °F) |
1879[10]
|
| Spring (March–May)
|
2.30 °C (36.14 °F) |
1887[11]
|
| Summer (June–August)
|
9.70 °C (49.46 °F) |
1922
|
| Autumn (September–November)
|
4.17 °C (39.51 °F) |
1919
|
| Winter (December–February)
|
−3.10 °C (26.42 °F) |
1962/63
|
| January
|
−4.8 °C (23.4 °F) |
1963
|
| February
|
−5.1 °C (22.8 °F) |
1895
|
| March
|
−2.0 °C (28.4 °F) |
1883
|
| April
|
1.0 °C (33.8 °F) |
2021
|
| May
|
4.7 °C (40.5 °F) |
1885
|
| June
|
7.9 °C (46.2 °F) |
1916
|
| July
|
9.8 °C (49.6 °F) |
1919
|
| August
|
9.3 °C (48.7 °F) |
1885
|
| September
|
6.6 °C (43.9 °F) |
1986
|
| October
|
3.2 °C (37.8 °F) |
1919
|
| November
|
−0.4 °C (31.3 °F) |
1915
|
| December
|
−3.8 °C (25.2 °F) |
2010
|
Highest maximum
| Period
|
Record Mean
|
Year
|
| Year
|
14.84 °C (58.71 °F) |
2003[12]
|
| Spring (March–May)
|
15.73 °C (60.31 °F) |
1893[13]
|
| Summer (June–August)
|
23.47 °C (74.25 °F) |
1976
|
| Autumn (September–November)
|
16.23 °C (61.21 °F) |
2006
|
| Winter (December–February)
|
9.63 °C (49.33 °F) |
2015/16
|
| January
|
10.3 °C (50.5 °F) |
1916
|
| February
|
11.3 °C (52.3 °F) |
2019
|
| March
|
13.8 °C (56.8 °F) |
1938
|
| April
|
17.1 °C (62.8 °F) |
2011
|
| May
|
19.0 °C (66.2 °F) |
1992
|
| June
|
22.6 °C (72.7 °F) |
1976/2023
|
| July
|
25.6 °C (78.1 °F) |
2006
|
| August
|
25.1 °C (77.2 °F) |
1995
|
| September
|
22.0 °C (71.6 °F) |
2023
|
| October
|
17.1 °C (62.8 °F) |
1921
|
| November
|
12.5 °C (54.5 °F) |
1994 and 2011
|
| December
|
12.3 °C (54.1 °F) |
2015
|
Lowest maximum
| Period
|
Record Mean
|
Year
|
| Year
|
10.52 °C (50.94 °F) |
1879[12]
|
| Spring (March–May)
|
10.10 °C (50.18 °F) |
1879[13]
|
| Summer (June–August)
|
16.97 °C (62.55 °F) |
1879
|
| Autumn (September–November)
|
11.03 °C (51.85 °F) |
1887
|
| Winter (December–February)
|
2.47 °C (36.45 °F) |
1962/63
|
| January
|
0.6 °C (33.1 °F) |
1963
|
| February
|
0.1 °C (32.2 °F) |
1947
|
| March
|
5.7 °C (42.3 °F) |
2013
|
| April
|
9.3 °C (48.7 °F) |
1879
|
| May
|
12.8 °C (55.0 °F) |
1902
|
| June
|
15.5 °C (59.9 °F) |
1909
|
| July
|
16.6 °C (61.9 °F) |
1879
|
| August
|
16.0 °C (60.8 °F) |
1912
|
| September
|
14.4 °C (57.9 °F) |
1952
|
| October
|
10.1 °C (50.2 °F) |
1896
|
| November
|
5.8 °C (42.4 °F) |
1919
|
| December
|
1.2 °C (34.2 °F) |
1890
|
Daily records
Daily mean temperatures have been available since 1772, with max and min data available from 1878 onward.
[14]
Highest mean
| Period[15]
|
Record Mean
|
Date
|
| January
|
12.7 °C (54.9 °F) |
1 Jan 2022
|
| February
|
12.8 °C (55.0 °F) |
4 Feb 2004
|
| March
|
15.2 °C (59.4 °F) |
30 Mar 2017[16]
|
| April
|
19.7 °C (67.5 °F) |
29 Apr 1775
|
| May
|
21.2 °C (70.2 °F) |
29 May 1780
|
| June
|
22.9 °C (73.2 °F) |
3 Jun 1947
|
| July
|
28.1 °C (82.6 °F) |
19 Jul 2022
|
| August
|
25.2 °C (77.4 °F) |
12 Aug 2020
|
| September
|
23.3 °C (73.9 °F) |
7 Sep 2023
|
| October
|
20.1 °C (68.2 °F) |
1 Oct 1985
|
| November
|
15.5 °C (59.9 °F) |
5 Nov 1938
|
| December
|
13.1 °C (55.6 °F) |
19 Dec 2015
|
Highest minimum
| Period[17]
|
Record
|
Date
|
| January
|
10.9 °C (51.6 °F) |
1 Jan 2022
|
| February
|
10.8 °C (51.4 °F) |
4 Feb 2004
|
| March
|
11.1 °C (52.0 °F) |
30 Mar 1998
|
| April
|
12.4 °C (54.3 °F) |
24 Apr 2007
|
| May
|
14.5 °C (58.1 °F) |
30 May 1944
|
| June
|
17.3 °C (63.1 °F) |
22 Jun 1941
|
| July
|
19.5 °C (67.1 °F) |
20 Jul 2016
|
| August
|
18.8 °C (65.8 °F) |
11 Aug 1997
|
| September
|
18.4 °C (65.1 °F) |
5 Sep 1949
|
| October
|
15.3 °C (59.5 °F) |
3 Oct 2011
|
| November
|
13.5 °C (56.3 °F) |
22 Nov 1947
|
| December
|
11.7 °C (53.1 °F) |
31 Dec 2021
|
Highest maximum
| Period[18]
|
Record Maximum
|
Date
|
| January
|
14.5 °C (58.1 °F) |
1 Jan 2022
|
| February
|
18.6 °C (65.5 °F) |
26 Feb 2019
|
| March
|
22.2 °C (72.0 °F) |
29 Mar 1965
|
| April
|
25.0 °C (77.0 °F) |
16 Apr 2003
|
| May
|
28.9 °C (84.0 °F) |
29 May 1944
|
| June
|
30.4 °C (86.7 °F) |
29 Jun 2019
|
| July
|
37.3 °C (99.1 °F) |
19 Jul 2022
|
| August
|
33.4 °C (92.1 °F) |
3 Aug 1990
|
| September
|
31.2 °C (88.2 °F) |
1 Sep 1906
|
| October
|
27.0 °C (80.6 °F) |
1 Oct 2011
|
| November
|
18.7 °C (65.7 °F) |
4 Nov 1946
|
| December
|
14.5 °C (58.1 °F) |
23 Dec 1977
|
Lowest mean
| Period
|
Record Mean
|
Date
|
| January
|
−11.9 °C (10.6 °F) |
20 Jan 1838
|
| February
|
−8.8 °C (16.2 °F) |
9 Feb 1816
|
| March
|
−6.5 °C (20.3 °F) |
13 Mar 1845
|
| April
|
−0.5 °C (31.1 °F) |
3 Apr 1799
|
| May
|
2.9 °C (37.2 °F) |
8 May 1861
|
| June
|
7.3 °C (45.1 °F) |
9 Jun 1816
|
| July
|
8.7 °C (47.7 °F) |
20 Jul 1836
|
| August
|
8.8 °C (47.8 °F) |
26 Aug 1864
|
| September
|
4.9 °C (40.8 °F) |
28 Sep 1824
|
| October
|
0.3 °C (32.5 °F) |
29 Oct 1895
|
| November
|
−4.6 °C (23.7 °F) |
24 Nov 1904
|
| December
|
−10.8 °C (12.6 °F) |
25 Dec 1796
|
Lowest minimum
| Period
|
Record Minimum
|
Date
|
| January
|
−13.4 °C (7.9 °F) |
21 Jan 1940
|
| February
|
−13.6 °C (7.5 °F) |
24 Feb 1947
|
| March
|
−9.4 °C (15.1 °F) |
5 Mar 1909
|
| April
|
−4.9 °C (23.2 °F) |
2 Apr 1917
|
| May
|
−1.5 °C (29.3 °F) |
4 May 1941
|
| June
|
1.3 °C (34.3 °F) |
5 Jun 1991
|
| July
|
4.7 °C (40.5 °F) |
4 Jul 1965
|
| August
|
4.0 °C (39.2 °F) |
31 Aug 1921
|
| September
|
0.3 °C (32.5 °F) |
29 Sep 1919
|
| October
|
−3.9 °C (25.0 °F) |
27 Oct 1931
|
| November
|
−8.8 °C (16.2 °F) |
24 Nov 1904
|
| December
|
−15.9 °C (3.4 °F) |
13 Dec 1981
|
Lowest maximum
| Period
|
Record
|
Date
|
| January
|
−5.7 °C (21.7 °F) |
12 Jan 1987
|
| February
|
−4.5 °C (23.9 °F) |
6 Feb 1895
|
| March
|
−1.1 °C (30.0 °F) |
1 Mar 2018
|
| April
|
2.3 °C (36.1 °F) |
5 Apr 1911
|
| May
|
6.0 °C (42.8 °F) |
3 May 1892
|
| June
|
10.1 °C (50.2 °F) |
8 Jun 1897
|
| July
|
12.5 °C (54.5 °F) |
5 Jul 1920
|
| August
|
12.0 °C (53.6 °F) |
16 Aug 1888
|
| September
|
8.3 °C (46.9 °F) |
29 Sep 1918
|
| October
|
3.1 °C (37.6 °F) |
31 Oct 1934
|
| November
|
−1.0 °C (30.2 °F) |
28 Nov 2010
|
| December
|
−4.0 °C (24.8 °F) |
29 Dec 1908
|
See also
- Climate of the United Kingdom
- England and Wales Precipitation
Notes
- ↑ Alternatively, if decades are measured from 00-09, the 2000s become the warmest decade on record, with a mean temperature of 10.39 °C (50.70 °F). However, the prevailing method of measuring decades is 01-00.
References
- ↑ Parker, D. E., T. P. Legg, and C. K. Folland, 1992: A new daily Central England Temperature Series, 1772-1991. Int J Climatol, 12, 317-342. [1]
- ↑ "Checking the CET". http://www.climate-uk.com/CETcheck.htm.
- ↑ Data source: "mean CET ranked coldest to warmest from 1659 to 2019". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. 31 July 2019. Archived from the original on 21 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190521172358/https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/mly_cet_mean_sort.txt. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
- ↑ "England Temperatures Since 1659". 16 June 2016. Archived from the original on 7 September 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190907170622/https://twitter.com/iamreddave/status/743536107300786181. ● Data source: Met Office U.K., Hadley Centre (archive).
- ↑ "MONTHLY MEAN CENTRAL ENGLAND TEMPERATURE (DEGREES C)". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/cetml1659on.dat. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- ↑ Karoly, D. J. and P. A. Stott (2006). "Anthropogenic warming of central England temperature". Atmospheric Science Letters 7 (4): 81–85. doi:10.1002/asl.136. https://rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/asl.136. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
- ↑ King, A. D. (2015). "Attribution of the record high Central England temperature of 2014 to anthropogenic influences". Environmental Research Letters 10 (5): 054002. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/10/5/054002.
- ↑ "Central England Temperature ranked coldest to warmest from 1659 to 2023". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/data/meantemp_ranked_monthly.txt. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
- ↑ "Central England Temperature 1659 to 2023". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/data/meantemp_ranked_seasonal.txt. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "min CET ranked coldest to warmest from 1878 to 2021". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/mly_cet_min_sort.txt. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "SEASONAL MINIMUM CENTRAL ENGLAND TEMPERATURE, 1878 TO 2021". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/ssn_HadCET_min_sort.txt. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "max CET ranked coldest to warmest from 1878 to 2021". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/mly_cet_max_sort.txt. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "SEASONAL MAXIMUM CENTRAL ENGLAND TEMPERATURE, 1878 TO 2021". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/mly_cet_max_sort.txt. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- ↑ "CET Record Breakers". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/cet_record_breakers.html. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- ↑ "Daily HadCET, 1772 to date". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/data/meantemp_daily_totals.txt. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
- ↑ "Daily HadCET, 1772 to date". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/mly_cet_max_sort.txt. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- ↑ "Daily HadCET, 1772 to date". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/data/mintemp_daily_totals.txt. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
- ↑ "Daily HadCET, 1772 to date". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/data/maxtemp_daily_totals.txt. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
Further reading
 | Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central England temperature. Read more |
_(annual_mean,_beginning_in_1659).png)
