4th June - Today's News: How Can It Have Been UK's Warmest May and Spring?
It's been a warm May and spring for the UK - the warmest, in fact, on record!
But how can it have been the warmest May when it certainly didn't feel all that warm? And that's the nub of the issue. Feel. Air temperatures are taken in a aspirated Stevenson Screen - not in direct sunlight. In May, the sun can be as strong as it is in July and August. On a bright, calm, sunny day, the sun feels very warm indeed. Stand in the middle of a grassy field and take a temperature reading in direct sunlight. It could well be as high as 35c. But, if you look at the reading inside an adjacent Stevenson Screen, it will be a lot lower. Maybe only 20c. Now, do the same on a cloudy, breezy day. It certainly doesn't feel as warm. And your personal reading taken in the same spot shows it's only 22c. That's 13c colder. But the temperature in the Stevenson Screen is also showing 22c. So it's actually a warmer day. Comparing like with like under a properly controlled environment. May 2024 has been cloudy and often wet. It's not been very sunny. So although the temperature has been warmer than average, it hasn't felt as warm. Also, cloudier months tend to result in warmer nights, whereas, especially in May, clear skies may make it feel warmer by day, but it can also be much colder at night. And we've not had any many really cold nights all spring. Finally, of course, the UK extends beyond your own back garden and just because you've been cold doesn't mean other parts have not.
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