When does winter begin?
Summary
The article explains the difference between the meteorological and astronomical start dates of winter in the UK. It also discusses how UK winters are changing due to climate change, with warmer temperatures and fewer cold extremes being observed over time.Key Facts
- Meteorological winter in the UK starts on December 1 and ends on the last day of February.
- Astronomical winter begins on December 21, the shortest day of the year, and ends with the spring equinox in March.
- The coldest temperature recorded in the UK was -27.2°C, occurring three times in Scotland.
- UK winters are getting warmer, with average temperatures about 1°C higher than a century ago.
- Six of the ten warmest UK winters have occurred since 2000.
- The number of air and ground frosts has decreased by around 25% since the 1980s.
- Snow days are becoming rarer in the UK, with more winter precipitation falling as rain.
- Despite the warming trend, the UK can still experience extreme cold spells, like the "Beast from the East" in 2018.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.