Climate summaries

Overview of weather across the UK for previous months, seasons and years

Those interested in climate change and predictions of future climates should also visit the Climate Change pages.

UK last month

November 2024

November was a month of two very contrasting halves. The first half of the month was dominated by high pressure, leading to dull, dry and mild conditions with very low sunshine levels. This ‘anticyclonic gloom’ persisted until mid-month, at which point there was a shift to lower pressure brought by an Arctic maritime airmass. This airmass resulted in colder temperatures and wintry precipitation, especially in northern areas but extending into southern England. The second half of November saw continued cold conditions with frequent wintry showers, particularly in northern and western regions. The second named storm of the season, Storm Bert, arrived on the 23^rd and brought exceptionally wet and windy weather to the UK, particularly south Wales and south-west England. A few days later, the third named storm of the season, Storm Conall, brushed along the southern coast of England, bringing heavy rainfall.

Although November started with mild temperatures, cold spells in the latter half of the month brought the overall mean temperature to near average. The provisional UK average mean temperature for November was 6.6°C, 0.1°C above the long-term average. Northern Ireland was slightly warmer than other countries, recording a provisional mean temperature of 7.5°C, 0.8°C above average. The first half of the month was dry, with only 6% of the long-term average rain falling by the 16^th. However, the second half of the month saw increased rainfall, although not quite reaching the average November rainfall. Overall rainfall was below average, with the UK provisionally recording only 68% of the average month’s rainfall. Storm Bert brought exceptionally wet weather to the southwest, particularly south Wales, with more than 150mm of rain falling in the wettest upland areas. Around three-quarters of the whole-monthly rainfall fell in a swathe from Gwent to Wiltshire to Northamptonshire. With anticyclonic gloom dominating the first half of the month, the month’s sunshine hours were below average, with the UK provisionally experiencing 51.8 hours, just 89% of the average. Scotland, however, recorded near-average sunshine hours, with 47.3 hours, 99% of the average November sunshine.

The UK monthly extremes were as follows: A maximum temperature of 18.8°C was recorded at Treknow (Cornwall) on the 10^th. A minimum temperature of -12.4°C was recorded at Kinbrace (Sutherland) on the 23^rd. In the 24 hours ending at 0900 UTC on the 24^th, 126.0mm of rain fell at Treherbert (Mid Glamorgan). A wind gust of 71 knots (82 mph) was recorded at Capel Curig (Gwynedd) on the 23^rd.

Regional values for November 2024