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The climate of great britain

The climate of the UK

The UK has a temperate climate. In general, this means that Britain gets cool, wet winters and warm, wet summers. It rarely features the extremes of heat or cold, drought or wind that are common in other climates. The weather conditions are also very changeable.

Not all parts of the UK have the same climate. London, in the south-east of the UK, is a region characterised by a warm and dry climate in the summer and a cold and dry climate in the winter.

Cumbria, in the mountainous north-west of England, has generally cooler temperatures and more rainfall throughout the year.

Cumbria sees much more annual rainfall than London, peaking in November. London has higher average temperatures, peaking at 18 °C in July.

The general pattern of the climate across the UK has four distinct regions:

south-east – cold winters, warm and dry summers

south-west – mild and very wet winters, warm and wet summers
north-west – mild winter, cool summers and heavy rain all year
north-east – cold winter, cool summers and steady rain all year
NE: Arctic - cold winters & summers, steady rain. SE: Continental - cold winters, warm summers, dry. SW: Tropical - mild winters & summers, rain. NW: Maritime - mild winters, cool summers, heavy rain.

Factors affecting the UK's climate
The UK lies in the 'battleground' between warm tropical air to the south and cold polar air to the north. As two distinctly different types of air battle for control over the mid-latitudes, the UK experiences contrasting and changeable weather.
Ocean currents
The warm North Atlantic Drift significantly impacts the UK's climate. It carries warm water from the South Atlantic to the western shores of the UK. The prevailing south-westerly winds then spread these warmer conditions, giving the western parts of the country mild winters.
Air masses
The origin and journey of the air mass can affect the climate of the UK. For example, the Polar Maritime Air Mass originates in the Poles and travels over the Arctic Sea, therefore it brings cold and wet weather. The Tropical Continental air mass originates in the tropics and travels over land, bringing hot and dry weather to the UK.


Altitude
The main upland areas of the British Isles are in the west. When warm moist air is driven onto land by prevailing south-westerly winds, it is forced to rise over the mountains, where it cools, condenses and brings about precipitation. This is called relief rainfall. As a result, there is more rainfall over western upland regions than in lower areas in the east.