East Anglia Climate
City Coverage: Norwich, Cambridge, Ipswich, Peterborough, Colchester, and Chelmsford
East Anglia experienced an exceptionally warm and dry spring, with May 2026 setting new temperature records. The region saw its warmest May on record, with a mean temperature of 14.2°C, a significant 3°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. This also contributed to the warmest March–May period on record for East Anglia, at 10.93°C, marking a substantial 2.7°C anomaly.
This month in numbers
East Anglia recorded its warmest May on record, with a mean temperature of 14.2°C, an astonishing 3°C above the long-term average. This made it the 1st warmest May in 127 years of records. The March–May period was also the warmest on record, at 10.93°C. Sunshine hours for March–May ranked 3rd highest, with 650 hours, while rainfall for the same period was the 2nd lowest on record, at just 44.9 mm. May rainfall was particularly low, ranking 116th driest, with only 16.7 mm falling.
What changed
This exceptionally warm and dry spring for East Anglia stands in stark contrast to the national picture, where the UK as a whole experienced its 3rd warmest spring on record. East Anglia's rainfall deficit was particularly pronounced, with several counties in the region receiving only around a third of their average seasonal rainfall this spring. This dry spell has led to significantly reduced soil moisture and falling river levels across the region.
What’s driving change?
The record-breaking warmth in East Anglia this spring, culminating in an "unprecedented" May heatwave, was driven by a combination of factors. A strong subtropical high-pressure ridge and sustained synoptic blocking mechanics contributed to trapping warm air over the region, leading to significant temperature deviations. The effect likely exacerbated the heat, as the parched ground was unable to cool itself through evaporation. The current ENSO state is Neutral, but the NOAA CPC forecast indicates a strong likelihood of El Niño developing in the coming months, with an 82% chance for May–Jul and increasing to 98% by Aug–Oct. Historically, El Niño events have shown a tendency for cooler late winters in Northern Europe, though very strong events have sometimes flipped this to warmer winters. For more information on ENSO, visit ENSO tracker.
Looking ahead
The NOAA CPC forecast suggests a strong likelihood of El Niño conditions developing and persisting through the summer and into autumn, which could influence temperature and precipitation patterns in the coming months.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for East Anglia
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) — see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in East Anglia changing?
East Anglia is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The trend rate is shown as °C per decade in the headline panel; you can also see the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for East Anglia come from?
Climate data for East Anglia comes from the UK Met Office HadUK-Grid (temperature, rainfall, sunshine, air frost), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the East Anglia climate data cover?
The East Anglia climate profile covers Norwich, Cambridge, Ipswich, Peterborough and surrounding areas. East Anglia climate data across East Anglia and nearby eastern cities
How often is the East Anglia climate update refreshed?
The East Anglia climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.