Central England temperature

Central England temperature dataset, 1659 to 2014.

The Central England Temperature (CET) record is a meteorological dataset originally published by Professor Gordon Manley in 1953 and subsequently extended and updated in 1974, following many decades of painstaking work. The monthly mean surface air temperatures, for the Midlands region of England, are given (in degrees Celsius) from the year 1659 to the present.

This record represents the longest series of monthly temperature observations in existence. It is a valuable dataset for meteorologists and climate scientists. It is monthly from 1659, and a daily version has been produced from 1772. The monthly means from November 1722 onwards are given to a precision of 0.1 °C. The earliest years of the series, from 1659 to October 1722 inclusive, for the most part only have monthly means given to the nearest degree or half a degree, though there is a small 'window' of 0.1 degree precision from 1699 to 1706 inclusive. This reflects the number, accuracy, reliability and geographical spread of the temperature records that were available for the years in question.

## Contents

* 1 Data quality
* 2 Trends revealed by the series
* 3 Extremes
* 3.1 Hottest
* 3.2 Coldest
* 4 Mean, maximum and minimum temperatures
* 4.1 Highest minimum
* 4.2 Lowest minimum
* 4.3 Highest maximum
* 4.4 Lowest maximum
* 5 Daily records
* 5.1 Highest mean
* 5.2 Highest minimum
* 5.3 Highest maximum
* 5.4 Lowest mean
* 5.5 Lowest minimum
* 5.6 Lowest maximum
* 6 See also
* 7 Notes
* 8 References
* 9 Further reading

## Data quality

Although best efforts have been made by Manley and subsequent researchers to quality control the series, there are data problems in the early years, with some non-instrumental data used. These problems account for the lower precision to which the early monthly means were quoted by Manley. Parker et al. (1992)[1] addressed this by not using data prior to 1772, since their daily series required more accurate data than did the original series of monthly means. Before 1722, instrumental records do not overlap and Manley used a non-instrumental series from Utrecht compiled by Labrijn (1945), to make the monthly central England temperature (CET) series complete.

For a period early in the 21st century there were two versions of the series: the "official" version maintained by the Hadley Centre in Exeter, and a version that was maintained by the late Philip Eden which he argued was more consistent with the series as originally compiled by Manley.[2]

The warmest year on record was recorded in 2022, with an average temperature of 11.15 degrees Celsius. This beat the previous 2014 record by 0.2 degrees and was almost 2 degrees over the 1961-1990 average

## Trends revealed by the series

CET and its 10-year and 30-year moving averages (orange and black traces, respectively).[3]

This stacked warming stripes graphic—technically a two-dimensional heat map—organizes CETs by month (vertically) and by year (horizontally).[4]

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, a cool period which coincided with cool winters and generally cool summers, the temperatures fluctuated widely but with little trend. From 1910, temperatures increased until about 1950, when they flattened before a sharp rising trend began in about 1975. The warmest decade on record is the 2010s (2011–2020) with a mean temperature of 10.40 °C (50.72 °F).[5][lower-alpha 1]

Both the general warming trend[6] and the hottest year on record at the time, 2014,[7] have been attributed to human-caused climate change using observational and climate model-based techniques. This record was subsequently broken in 2022, when a mean CET of 11.15 C was recorded, 1.68 degrees above the 1961-90 average and breaking the 2014 record by nearly 0.2 Celsius.

## Extremes

Taking the 364-year period for the series as a whole:

### Hottest

Period  | Record Mean  | Year

|
|

Year  | 11.1 °C (52.0 °F) | 2022, 2023[8][9]
Spring (March–May)  | 10.3 °C (50.5 °F) | 2011, 2017
Summer (June–August)  | 17.7 °C (63.9 °F) | 1976
Autumn (September–November)  | 12.6 °C (54.7 °F) | 2006
Winter (December–February)  | 6.8 °C (44.2 °F) | 2015/2016
January  | 7.5 °C (45.5 °F) | 1916
February  | 7.9 °C (46.2 °F) | 1779
March  | 9.2 °C (48.6 °F) | 1957
April  | 11.8 °C (53.2 °F) | 2011
May  | 15.1 °C (59.2 °F) | 1833
June  | 18.2 °C (64.8 °F) | 1846
July  | 19.8 °C (67.6 °F) | 2006
August  | 19.1 °C (66.4 °F) | 1995
September  | 17.0 °C (62.6 °F) | 2023
October  | 13.3 °C (55.9 °F) | 2001
November  | 9.9 °C (49.8 °F) | 1994
December  | 9.6 °C (49.3 °F) | 2015

### Coldest

Period  | Record Mean  | Year

|
|

Year  | 6.9 °C (44.4 °F) | 1740
Spring (March–May)  | 5.6 °C (42.1 °F) | 1837
Summer (June–August)  | 13.1 °C (55.6 °F) | 1725
Autumn (September–November)  | 7.5 °C (45.5 °F) | 1676, 1740, 1786
Winter (December–February)  | −1.2 °C (29.8 °F) | 1683/1684
January  | −3.1 °C (26.4 °F) | 1795
February  | −1.9 °C (28.6 °F) | 1947
March  | 1.0 °C (33.8 °F) | 1674
April  | 4.7 °C (40.5 °F) | 1701 and 1837
May  | 8.5 °C (47.3 °F) | 1698
June  | 11.5 °C (52.7 °F) | 1675
July  | 13.4 °C (56.1 °F) | 1816
August  | 12.9 °C (55.2 °F) | 1912
September  | 10.5 °C (50.9 °F) | 1674, 1675, 1694 and 1807
October  | 5.3 °C (41.5 °F) | 1740
November  | 2.3 °C (36.1 °F) | 1782
December  | −0.8 °C (30.6 °F) | 1890

## Mean, maximum and minimum temperatures

Since 1878, the Central England temperature has recorded daily maximum and minimum temperatures; its daily mean records began in 1772. The tables below show the record average max/min for each season and each calendar month since 1878.

### Highest minimum

Period  | Record Mean  | Year

|
|

Year  | 7.19 °C (44.94 °F) | 2006[10]
Spring (March–May)  | 5.97 °C (42.75 °F) | 1999[11]
Summer (June–August)  | 12.40 °C (54.32 °F) | 2003
Autumn (September–November)  | 9.10 °C (48.38 °F) | 2006
Winter (December–February)  | 3.83 °C (38.89 °F) | 1934/35
January  | 5.2 °C (41.4 °F) | 1916
February  | 4.3 °C (39.7 °F) | 1903 and 1926
March  | 5.6 °C (42.1 °F) | 1957
April  | 6.5 °C (43.7 °F) | 2011
May  | 8.9 °C (48.0 °F) | 1889 and 1952
June  | 11.6 °C (52.9 °F) | 2017
July  | 14.0 °C (57.2 °F) | 1983
August  | 14.0 °C (57.2 °F) | 1997
September  | 12.8 °C (55.0 °F) | 2006
October  | 10.2 °C (50.4 °F) | 2001
November  | 7.7 °C (45.9 °F) | 1994
December  | 7.0 °C (44.6 °F) | 2015

### Lowest minimum

Period  | Record Mean  | Year

|
|

Year  | 4.36 °C (39.85 °F) | 1879[10]
Spring (March–May)  | 2.30 °C (36.14 °F) | 1887[11]
Summer (June–August)  | 9.70 °C (49.46 °F) | 1922
Autumn (September–November)  | 4.17 °C (39.51 °F) | 1919
Winter (December–February)  | −3.10 °C (26.42 °F) | 1962/63
January  | −4.8 °C (23.4 °F) | 1963
February  | −5.1 °C (22.8 °F) | 1895
March  | −2.0 °C (28.4 °F) | 1883
April  | 1.0 °C (33.8 °F) | 2021
May  | 4.7 °C (40.5 °F) | 1885
June  | 7.9 °C (46.2 °F) | 1916
July  | 9.8 °C (49.6 °F) | 1919
August  | 9.3 °C (48.7 °F) | 1885
September  | 6.6 °C (43.9 °F) | 1986
October  | 3.2 °C (37.8 °F) | 1919
November  | −0.4 °C (31.3 °F) | 1915
December  | −3.8 °C (25.2 °F) | 2010

### Highest maximum

Period  | Record Mean  | Year

|
|

Year  | 14.84 °C (58.71 °F) | 2003[12]
Spring (March–May)  | 15.73 °C (60.31 °F) | 1893[13]
Summer (June–August)  | 23.47 °C (74.25 °F) | 1976
Autumn (September–November)  | 16.23 °C (61.21 °F) | 2006
Winter (December–February)  | 9.63 °C (49.33 °F) | 2015/16
January  | 10.3 °C (50.5 °F) | 1916
February  | 11.3 °C (52.3 °F) | 2019
March  | 13.8 °C (56.8 °F) | 1938
April  | 17.1 °C (62.8 °F) | 2011
May  | 19.0 °C (66.2 °F) | 1992
June  | 22.6 °C (72.7 °F) | 1976/2023
July  | 25.6 °C (78.1 °F) | 2006
August  | 25.1 °C (77.2 °F) | 1995
September  | 22.0 °C (71.6 °F) | 2023
October  | 17.1 °C (62.8 °F) | 1921
November  | 12.5 °C (54.5 °F) | 1994 and 2011
December  | 12.3 °C (54.1 °F) | 2015

### Lowest maximum

Period  | Record Mean  | Year

|
|

Year  | 10.52 °C (50.94 °F) | 1879[12]
Spring (March–May)  | 10.10 °C (50.18 °F) | 1879[13]
Summer (June–August)  | 16.97 °C (62.55 °F) | 1879
Autumn (September–November)  | 11.03 °C (51.85 °F) | 1887
Winter (December–February)  | 2.47 °C (36.45 °F) | 1962/63
January  | 0.6 °C (33.1 °F) | 1963
February  | 0.1 °C (32.2 °F) | 1947
March  | 5.7 °C (42.3 °F) | 2013
April  | 9.3 °C (48.7 °F) | 1879
May  | 12.8 °C (55.0 °F) | 1902
June  | 15.5 °C (59.9 °F) | 1909
July  | 16.6 °C (61.9 °F) | 1879
August  | 16.0 °C (60.8 °F) | 1912
September  | 14.4 °C (57.9 °F) | 1952
October  | 10.1 °C (50.2 °F) | 1896
November  | 5.8 °C (42.4 °F) | 1919
December  | 1.2 °C (34.2 °F) | 1890

## Daily records

Daily mean temperatures have been available since 1772, with max and min data available from 1878 onward. [14]

### Highest mean

Period[15] | Record Mean  | Date

|
|

January  | 12.7 °C (54.9 °F) | 1 Jan 2022
February  | 12.8 °C (55.0 °F) | 4 Feb 2004
March  | 15.2 °C (59.4 °F) | 30 Mar 2017[16]
April  | 19.7 °C (67.5 °F) | 29 Apr 1775
May  | 21.2 °C (70.2 °F) | 29 May 1780
June  | 22.9 °C (73.2 °F) | 3 Jun 1947
July  | 28.1 °C (82.6 °F) | 19 Jul 2022
August  | 25.2 °C (77.4 °F) | 12 Aug 2020
September  | 23.3 °C (73.9 °F) | 7 Sep 2023
October  | 20.1 °C (68.2 °F) | 1 Oct 1985
November  | 15.5 °C (59.9 °F) | 5 Nov 1938
December  | 13.1 °C (55.6 °F) | 19 Dec 2015

### Highest minimum

Period[17] | Record  | Date

|
|

January  | 10.9 °C (51.6 °F) | 1 Jan 2022
February  | 10.8 °C (51.4 °F) | 4 Feb 2004
March  | 11.1 °C (52.0 °F) | 30 Mar 1998
April  | 12.4 °C (54.3 °F) | 24 Apr 2007
May  | 14.5 °C (58.1 °F) | 30 May 1944
June  | 17.3 °C (63.1 °F) | 22 Jun 1941
July  | 19.5 °C (67.1 °F) | 20 Jul 2016
August  | 18.8 °C (65.8 °F) | 11 Aug 1997
September  | 18.4 °C (65.1 °F) | 5 Sep 1949
October  | 15.3 °C (59.5 °F) | 3 Oct 2011
November  | 13.5 °C (56.3 °F) | 22 Nov 1947
December  | 11.7 °C (53.1 °F) | 31 Dec 2021

### Highest maximum

Period[18] | Record Maximum  | Date

|
|

January  | 14.5 °C (58.1 °F) | 1 Jan 2022
February  | 18.6 °C (65.5 °F) | 26 Feb 2019
March  | 22.2 °C (72.0 °F) | 29 Mar 1965
April  | 25.0 °C (77.0 °F) | 16 Apr 2003
May  | 28.9 °C (84.0 °F) | 29 May 1944
June  | 30.4 °C (86.7 °F) | 29 Jun 2019
July  | 37.3 °C (99.1 °F) | 19 Jul 2022
August  | 33.4 °C (92.1 °F) | 3 Aug 1990
September  | 31.2 °C (88.2 °F) | 1 Sep 1906
October  | 27.0 °C (80.6 °F) | 1 Oct 2011
November  | 18.7 °C (65.7 °F) | 4 Nov 1946
December  | 14.5 °C (58.1 °F) | 23 Dec 1977

### Lowest mean

Period  | Record Mean  | Date

|
|

January  | −11.9 °C (10.6 °F) | 20 Jan 1838
February  | −8.8 °C (16.2 °F) | 9 Feb 1816
March  | −6.5 °C (20.3 °F) | 13 Mar 1845
April  | −0.5 °C (31.1 °F) | 3 Apr 1799
May  | 2.9 °C (37.2 °F) | 8 May 1861
June  | 7.3 °C (45.1 °F) | 9 Jun 1816
July  | 8.7 °C (47.7 °F) | 20 Jul 1836
August  | 8.8 °C (47.8 °F) | 26 Aug 1864
September  | 4.9 °C (40.8 °F) | 28 Sep 1824
October  | 0.3 °C (32.5 °F) | 29 Oct 1895
November  | −4.6 °C (23.7 °F) | 24 Nov 1904
December  | −10.8 °C (12.6 °F) | 25 Dec 1796

### Lowest minimum

Period  | Record Minimum  | Date

|
|

January  | −13.4 °C (7.9 °F) | 21 Jan 1940
February  | −13.6 °C (7.5 °F) | 24 Feb 1947
March  | −9.4 °C (15.1 °F) | 5 Mar 1909
April  | −4.9 °C (23.2 °F) | 2 Apr 1917
May  | −1.5 °C (29.3 °F) | 4 May 1941
June  | 1.3 °C (34.3 °F) | 5 Jun 1991
July  | 4.7 °C (40.5 °F) | 4 Jul 1965
August  | 4.0 °C (39.2 °F) | 31 Aug 1921
September  | 0.3 °C (32.5 °F) | 29 Sep 1919
October  | −3.9 °C (25.0 °F) | 27 Oct 1931
November  | −8.8 °C (16.2 °F) | 24 Nov 1904
December  | −15.9 °C (3.4 °F) | 13 Dec 1981

### Lowest maximum

Period  | Record  | Date

|
|

January  | −5.7 °C (21.7 °F) | 12 Jan 1987
February  | −4.5 °C (23.9 °F) | 6 Feb 1895
March  | −1.1 °C (30.0 °F) | 1 Mar 2018
April  | 2.3 °C (36.1 °F) | 5 Apr 1911
May  | 6.0 °C (42.8 °F) | 3 May 1892
June  | 10.1 °C (50.2 °F) | 8 Jun 1897
July  | 12.5 °C (54.5 °F) | 5 Jul 1920
August  | 12.0 °C (53.6 °F) | 16 Aug 1888
September  | 8.3 °C (46.9 °F) | 29 Sep 1918
October  | 3.1 °C (37.6 °F) | 31 Oct 1934
November  | −1.0 °C (30.2 °F) | 28 Nov 2010
December  | −4.0 °C (24.8 °F) | 29 Dec 1908

## See also

* Climate of the United Kingdom
* England and Wales Precipitation

## Notes

1. ↑ Alternatively, if decades are measured from 00-09, the 2000s become the warmest decade on record, with a mean temperature of 10.39 °C (50.70 °F). However, the prevailing method of measuring decades is 01-00.

## References

1. ↑ Parker, D. E., T. P. Legg, and C. K. Folland, 1992: A new daily Central England Temperature Series, 1772-1991. Int J Climatol, 12, 317-342. [1]
2. ↑ "Checking the CET". http://www.climate-uk.com/CETcheck.htm.
3. ↑ Data source: "mean CET ranked coldest to warmest from 1659 to 2019". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. 31 July 2019. Archived from the original on 21 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190521172358/https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/mly_cet_mean_sort.txt. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
4. ↑ "England Temperatures Since 1659". 16 June 2016. Archived from the original on 7 September 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190907170622/https://twitter.com/iamreddave/status/743536107300786181. ● Data source: Met Office U.K., Hadley Centre (archive).
5. ↑ "MONTHLY MEAN CENTRAL ENGLAND TEMPERATURE (DEGREES C)". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/cetml1659on.dat. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
6. ↑ Karoly, D. J. and P. A. Stott (2006). "Anthropogenic warming of central England temperature". Atmospheric Science Letters 7 (4): 81–85. doi:10.1002/asl.136. https://rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/asl.136. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
7. ↑ King, A. D. (2015). "Attribution of the record high Central England temperature of 2014 to anthropogenic influences". Environmental Research Letters 10 (5): 054002. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/10/5/054002.
8. ↑ "Central England Temperature ranked coldest to warmest from 1659 to 2023". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/data/meantemp_ranked_monthly.txt. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
9. ↑ "Central England Temperature 1659 to 2023". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/data/meantemp_ranked_seasonal.txt. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "min CET ranked coldest to warmest from 1878 to 2021". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/mly_cet_min_sort.txt. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "SEASONAL MINIMUM CENTRAL ENGLAND TEMPERATURE, 1878 TO 2021". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/ssn_HadCET_min_sort.txt. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "max CET ranked coldest to warmest from 1878 to 2021". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/mly_cet_max_sort.txt. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "SEASONAL MAXIMUM CENTRAL ENGLAND TEMPERATURE, 1878 TO 2021". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/mly_cet_max_sort.txt. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
14. ↑ "CET Record Breakers". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/cet_record_breakers.html. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
15. ↑ "Daily HadCET, 1772 to date". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/data/meantemp_daily_totals.txt. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
16. ↑ "Daily HadCET, 1772 to date". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/mly_cet_max_sort.txt. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
17. ↑ "Daily HadCET, 1772 to date". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/data/mintemp_daily_totals.txt. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
18. ↑ "Daily HadCET, 1772 to date". Met Office, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadcet/data/maxtemp_daily_totals.txt. Retrieved 20 July 2022.

## Further reading

* G. Manley, "Central England temperatures: monthly means 1659 to 1973.", Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, vol. 100, pp. 389–405 (1974).
* D.E. Parker, T.P. Legg and C. Folland, "A new daily Central England Temperature series 1772–1991," Int. J. Climatol., vol. 12, pp. 317–342 (1992).
* Graphs of the series at the University of East Anglia
* Freely downloadable text file containing the data.
* Met Office Hadley Centre CET pages

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