Met Office – weather data shows Jersey is hotting up

Wednesday 25 February 2015

Analysis of 120 years of weather data shows that the Island is getting warmer – and forecasters say that it looks as though global warming is to blame.

Weather experts at the Met Office have been going through records that date back to 1894, and they say that the figures show a big rise in both the maximum and minimum temperatures recorded.

They say that nearly a third of the highest daily minimum temperatures recorded have been within just the last 11 years.

Met Office senior forecaster John Searson said: “The remarkable increase in high minimum temperatures in the last decade is striking and is consistent with what we would expect to see as a result of global warming, caused by an increase in greenhouse gases.

“The greenhouse gas carbon dioxide has been increasing due to the burning of fossil fuels. An increase in water vapour in the atmosphere is another likely contributor.”

The research into Jersey’s temperatures has showed that:

• The number of record hot days is increasing.
• There are fewer very cold days.
• There has been a big increase in the record high minimums, with nearly a third in the last 11 years out of 120 years of data.
• Just last year, a new record high night-time temperature for any day in the calendar was set 12 times.

The report says that having reviewed the data, it looks as though the increase is down to global heating.

It says: “Four graphs chart the number of occurrences of the highest and lowest maximum and minimum temperatures for 110 years of records at the Maison St Louis observatory, with trend. They show that there is a clear increase in the frequency of the highest temperature on any day of the year occurring and an even more marked decrease in low maximum temperatures.

“Whilst not quite so stark, the same trend is also reflected with minimum temperatures. 

“Even allowing for the possible increase in the size of the heat island of St Helier, this still points to more and warmer conditions due to global heating.

“Figures from the last decade have reinforced the warming trend. Record low temperatures continue to decrease in occurrence, while record high temperatures are on the up.”