Global and regional climate in 2022

• Published in: Weather Vol. 78; no. 12; pp. 328 - 336
• Main Authors: Dunn, Robert J. H., Sandford, Caroline, Kendon, Mike, Morice, Colin P., Kennedy, John J., Rayner, Nick A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.12.2023; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Climate; Climate system; El Nino phenomena; Gases; Global climate; Greenhouse effect; Greenhouse gases; Heat waves; La Nina; Maximum temperatures; Regional climates
• ISSN: 0043-1656; 1477-8696
• DOI: 10.1002/wea.4500

Concentrations of greenhouse gases reached record levels in 2022 and energy continued to accumulate in the climate system. Despite the cooling influence of ongoing La Niña conditions, globally 2022 was the fifth or sixth warmest year on record. We give a summary of the global climate with a focus on the United Kingdom and Europe. Notably, the United Kingdom had its warmest year on record, including a brief record‐breaking heatwave in which multiple stations exceeded 40°C for the first time. The previous maximum temperature record of the United Kingdom was surpassed by the considerable margin of 1.6 degC on 19 July. Concentrations of greenhouse gases reached record levels in 2022 and energy continued to accumulate in the climate system with the ocean heat content reaching a new record high. An ongoing La Niña event in 2022, however, meant that the global mean temperature in 2022 was only the fifth or sixth warmest on record. We give a summary of the global climate with a focus on the United Kingdom, where 40°C was exceeded for the first time, and Europe with its second warmest year on record.