Climate figures revealed as G8 leaders prepare to meet
As G8 leaders meet in Germany this week to discuss global issues such as climate change, the Met Office has revealed figures showing that the mean global temperature for the period January to April was almost 0.5 °C above the long-term average.
The Met Office global temperature forecast predicted that 2007 had
a 60% probability of being the warmest on record, with a mean temperature
0.54 °C above the long-term (1961-1990) average of 14 °C.
David Parker, a climate variability scientist at the Met Office Hadley
Centre said: "These latest Met Office figures show that
the first four months of 2007 are on track with our global forecast
for a warmer-than-average year, but the cool La Nina event developing
in the equatorial Pacific could prevent 2007 from being the warmest
ever year".
Met Office figures also reveal that this spring has been the warmest since UK-wide records began in 1914. The UK mean temperature for Spring 2007 was 9.0 °C, beating the previous record of 8.8 °C set in 1945. The three spring months of March, April and May all exceeded their long-term average temperatures.
The warm UK spring follows one of the warmest recorded winters, and a run of record breaking years – the last five years are the warmest on record – and this warming trend is consistent with our predictions from the Met Office Hadley Centre.
The Met Office works with government and other organisations by offering advice on the possible consequences and risks of climate change.
| Provisional spring figures for the UK nations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Spring 2007 temperature | Previous or current record | Year of previous or current record | |
| UK | 9.0 °C | 8.8 °C | 1945 |
| England | 9.9 °C | 9.6 °C | 1945 |
| 9.0 °C | 9.1 °C | 1945 | |
| Scotland | 7.6 °C | 7.6 °C | 2003 |
| Wales | 9.1 °C | 9.0 °C | 1945 |
Notes:
- The Central
England Temperature (CET) is the world’s
oldest temperature series and dates back to 1659. Spring 2007
has been the second warmest on record with a mean temperature
of 10.1 °C. The warmest spring was in 1893 with a mean temperature
of
10.2 °C .
| For further information: |
| Met Office Press Office +44 (0)1392 886655 |
| E-mail: pressoffice@metoffice.gov.uk |
| Met Office Customer Centre 0870 900 0100 |
| If you're outside the UK +44 (0)1392 885680 |
