Warmest Bonfire Night on record as UK sees ‘remarkable’ November temperatures
The UK has experienced record-breaking Bonfire Night weather this month, with an “extraordinary” range of warm temperatures recorded across the country.
On Wednesday 5 November the temperature dropped to just 14.4C in Teddington, London, making it temporarily the mildest Bonfire Night on record.
The previous record for the night of 5-6 November was set in 1938, when the highest temperature was 13.9 degrees at Gordon Castle in Scotland.
33 new high daily minimum temperature records were set across the UK this November, with dozens of weather stations reporting temperatures exceeding 13C this autumn.
The Met Office said the hot weather was caused by warm air coming from the south.
The national forecaster said: “Coupled with cloudy nights which helped lock in the heat, this led to mild temperatures overnight.
“Of course, climate change increases the likelihood of such events by increasing the background temperature. But there is no direct reference to climate change through an attribution study.”
This “exceptional overnight warmth” follows an already warmer-than-average October. The average temperature in October was temporarily 0.7°C above the 1991-2020 average; Scotland and Northern Ireland experienced slightly warmer conditions than the rest of the country.
Looking at next week’s forecast, the Met Office said: “There is a band of rain passing through the UK today, but Saturday will see a ridge of higher pressure bringing more stable conditions, resulting in a period of good brightness for many.
“Temperatures will be approaching averages, so nights will feel much cooler later on. More unsettled weather will arrive from the west on Sunday and this will continue to be the theme for next week, with occasional breezy rain from the west.”
Regionally, weather stations in the South West and Wales broke records; these include those in Cornwall, Devon, Dyfed and Clwyd. In the North and Midlands, records were broken in Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Cumbria and Humberside.
