England North Climate
City Coverage: Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Middlesbrough, Carlisle, and Darlington
This month in numbers
England North experienced a remarkably warm May 2026, ranking as the 3rd warmest May on record with an average temperature of 12.2°C, a significant 2.4°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. The spring season (March–May 2026) also saw exceptional warmth, ranking as the 3rd warmest on record with an average temperature of 9.5°C, 2.5°C above the baseline. Sunshine hours were also notable, with the March–May period ranking as the 3rd sunniest on record, boasting 578 hours, 170 hours above average. Frost days were significantly reduced, with the March–May period recording only 6 days, ranking as the 5th fewest on record, meaning 11 fewer mornings scraping ice off the car compared to a typical spring.
What changed
The past three months have seen England North experiencing considerably warmer and sunnier conditions than average. This regional warmth aligns with a broader national trend, as May 2026 was the joint third warmest May on record for the UK as a whole, and the warmest spring on record for England and Wales. While southern England experienced the most extreme heat, with record-breaking temperatures in late May, England North also saw significantly above-average temperatures. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April on record for land temperatures, indicating a widespread warming trend.
What’s driving change?
The pronounced warmth in England North, and indeed across much of the UK, is largely attributable to a heat dome that settled over Western Europe in late May, trapping warm air and leading to rapidly rising temperatures. This event contributed to England recording its second warmest May on record. The broader warming trend is also influenced by , with winters and springs at higher latitudes warming faster. The developing El Niño in the Pacific is also a significant global climate driver. While El Niño's influence on the British climate is indirect, it can lead to milder and wetter conditions for the UK, particularly in autumn and winter, and can also increase the risk of extreme weather events. The World Meteorological Organization has warned of an 80% chance of an El Niño event forming between June and August 2026. More information on ENSO can be found at ENSO tracker.
Looking ahead
Forecasters suggest that the UK could experience a warmer-than-average summer with the potential for more heatwaves in the coming months.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for England North
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 England North changing?
England North 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 England North come from?
Climate data for England North 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 England North climate data cover?
The England North climate profile covers Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Middlesbrough and surrounding areas. Northern England climate data from Tyneside to Cumbria
How often is the England North climate update refreshed?
The England North 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.