Datasets/UK Climate/Central England Temperature

(Last updated by Mike Hulme, 8 December 2003)

The Central England Temperature series was originally constructed by the late Professor Gordon Manley, and is now routinely updated by the Hadley Centre. The monthly mean surface air temperatures, for a region representative of the English Midlands, are expressed in degrees Celsius for the period from 1659 to the present. The data are discussed in the following papers:

G. Manley, 'Central England Temperatures: monthly means 1659 to 1973', Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 1974, vol. 100, pp. 389--405.
D.E. Parker, T.P. Legg and C.K. Folland, 'A new daily Central England Temperature series, 1772--1991', International Journal of Climatology, 1992, vol. 12, pp. 317--42.

Listed below are the monthly CET values in degrees Celsius for 1990 to the present, together with the 1961-90 period normals and the 1990s decade anomalies. The 1990s decade was nearly 0.6°C warmer than the 1961-90 average. The full monthly series from 1659 is available from the Met Office Hadley Centre.

J F M A M J J A S O N D Annual
1990 6.5 7.3 8.3 8.0 12.6 13.6 16.9 18.0 13.2 11.9 6.9 4.3 10.63
1991 3.3 1.5 7.9 7.9 10.8 12.1 17.3 17.1 14.7 10.2 6.8 4.7 9.52
1992 3.7 5.4 7.5 8.7 13.6 15.7 16.2 15.3 13.4 7.8 7.4 3.6 9.86
1993 5.9 4.6 6.7 9.5 11.4 15.0 15.2 14.6 12.4 8.5 4.6 5.5 9.49
1994 5.3 3.2 7.7 8.1 10.7 14.5 18.0 16.0 12.7 10.2 10.1 6.4 10.24
1995 4.8 6.5 5.6 9.1 11.6 14.3 18.6 19.2 13.7 12.9 7.7 2.3 10.52
1996 4.3 2.5 4.5 8.5 9.1 14.4 16.5 16.5 13.6 11.7 5.9 2.9 9.20
1997 2.5 6.7 8.4 9.0 11.5 14.1 16.7 18.9 14.2 10.2 8.4 5.8 10.53
1998 5.2 7.3 7.9 7.7 13.1 14.2 15.5 15.9 14.9 10.6 6.2 5.5 10.34
1999 5.5 5.3 7.4 9.4 12.9 13.9 17.7 16.1 15.6 10.7 7.9 5.0 10.63
2000 4.9 6.3 7.6 7.8 12.1 15.1 15.5 16.6 14.7 10.3 7.0 5.8 10.30
2001 3.2 4.4 5.2 7.7 12.6 14.3 17.2 16.8 13.4 13.3 7.5 3.6 9.93

2002 5.5 7.0 7.6 9.3 11.8 14.4 16.0 17.0 14.4 10.1 8.5 5.7 10.60

2003 4.5 3.9 7.5 9.6 12.1 16.1 17.6 18.3 14.3 9.2

1961-90 average 3.8 3.8 5.7 7.9 11.2 14.1 16.1 15.8 13.6 10.6 6.5 4.6 9.47
1991-99 anomaly +0.7 +1.0 +1.4 +0.8 +0.4 +0.2 +0.7 +0.9 +0.3 -0.3 +0.7 -0.0 +0.57

[Data provided courtesy of the Hadley Centre]

	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D	Annual
1990	6.5	7.3	8.3	8.0	12.6	13.6	16.9	18.0	13.2	11.9	6.9	4.3	10.63
1991	3.3	1.5	7.9	7.9	10.8	12.1	17.3	17.1	14.7	10.2	6.8	4.7	9.52
1992	3.7	5.4	7.5	8.7	13.6	15.7	16.2	15.3	13.4	7.8	7.4	3.6	9.86
1993	5.9	4.6	6.7	9.5	11.4	15.0	15.2	14.6	12.4	8.5	4.6	5.5	9.49
1994	5.3	3.2	7.7	8.1	10.7	14.5	18.0	16.0	12.7	10.2	10.1	6.4	10.24
1995	4.8	6.5	5.6	9.1	11.6	14.3	18.6	19.2	13.7	12.9	7.7	2.3	10.52
1996	4.3	2.5	4.5	8.5	9.1	14.4	16.5	16.5	13.6	11.7	5.9	2.9	9.20
1997	2.5	6.7	8.4	9.0	11.5	14.1	16.7	18.9	14.2	10.2	8.4	5.8	10.53
1998	5.2	7.3	7.9	7.7	13.1	14.2	15.5	15.9	14.9	10.6	6.2	5.5	10.34
1999	5.5	5.3	7.4	9.4	12.9	13.9	17.7	16.1	15.6	10.7	7.9	5.0	10.63
2000	4.9	6.3	7.6	7.8	12.1	15.1	15.5	16.6	14.7	10.3	7.0	5.8	10.30
2001	3.2	4.4	5.2	7.7	12.6	14.3	17.2	16.8	13.4	13.3	7.5	3.6	9.93
2002	5.5	7.0	7.6	9.3	11.8	14.4	16.0	17.0	14.4	10.1	8.5	5.7	10.60
2003	4.5	3.9	7.5	9.6	12.1	16.1	17.6	18.3	14.3	9.2
1961-90 average	3.8	3.8	5.7	7.9	11.2	14.1	16.1	15.8	13.6	10.6	6.5	4.6	9.47
1991-99 anomaly	+0.7	+1.0	+1.4	+0.8	+0.4	+0.2	+0.7	+0.9	+0.3	-0.3	+0.7	-0.0	+0.57