The Met Office has confirmed that 2022 was the UK’s warmest year on record.
It may not feel like it right at this moment as we look out our windows and see winter wind and rain battering Greater Manchester, nor may it seem true given some of the sub-zero temperatures, snow, and heavy frost we’ve seen nationwide this month, but according to the Met Office’s provisional figures, 2022 was the warmest year the UK has ever recorded.
This will likely make a bit more sense though if you cast your minds back to the summer, where temperatures hit their highest ever in the country’s history – with the mercury reaching 40.3°C (104.5F) in Lincolnshire on 19 July.
Provisional data also shows that the average temperature for the year is on track to beat the previous all-time high of 9.88°C (49.78F) set in 2014, according to the Met Office.
Not only that, but all four seasons this year were in the top 10 warmest on record for the UK, the Met Office said – with winter being the eighth warmest, spring the fifth warmest, summer the fourth, and autumn the third.
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Exact figures are due to be released by the Met Office in the new year.
2022 will be the UK’s warmest year on record according to provisional Met Office figures.
The ten warmest years on record have all occurred since 2003.
Learn more about 2022's weather and climate in our news release👇
“2022 is going to be the warmest year on record for the UK,” revealed Dr Mark McCarthy, head of the National Climate Information Centre at the Met Office.
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“While many will remember the summer’s extreme heat, what has been noteworthy this year has been the relatively consistent heat through the year, with every month except December being warmer than average.”
Dr McCarthy said the record-breaking temperatures in July boosted the overall temperature values for the year, but this isn’t the “full story”, and added that December’s weather shows the UK’s climate is still “subject to notable cold spells during the winter season”.
He added that the Met Office’s observational data shows periods of sub-zero temperatures have “generally become less frequent and less severe as our climate warms.”
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Met Office confirms 2022 was the warmest year on record in the UK / Credit: Visit Manchester
Dr McCarthy pointed to climate change as the reason for average rising temperatures.
“The warm year is in line with the genuine impacts we expect as a result of human-induced climate change,” he explained, “although it doesn’t mean every year will be the warmest on record, climate change continues to increase the chances of increasingly warm years over the coming decades.”
“Temperatures have been above the 1991 to 2020 long term average for a large proportion of the year, and this is something that we can anticipate as we become increasingly affected by climate change.
“Met Office science has shown that the temperatures witnessed in mid-July would have been extremely unlikely in the pre-industrial period – the era before humanity started emitting lots of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels.”
Featured Image – Pxfuel
News
Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Emily Sergeant -
29th December 2022 
