KidZone Geography: United Kingdom

As an island, the UK climate and weather is extremely variable, it can be different from day to day and year to year. The largest influence on the UK climate is the Gulf Stream, a current of warm water that flows from the Carribbean to the UK.

Photographed by Ali Gooya on Unsplash

The UK has a temperate climate with mild wet winters and warm summers. Temperatures normally vary between 0 and 25 degrees Celsius depending on the time of year. This is much warmer than other countries on the same latitude (Canada and Scandanavia) due to the Gulf Stream. This current of warm water from the Carribbean helps keep the temperature of the UK higher but also brings storms and variable weather.

Rain is quite well distributed in the UK, though it is more likely in winter. The wettest areas are the South West and Wales as these areas are the first to receive weather from the Gulf Stream. Each season is well defined with a long autumn/ fall and spring. April showers are a well known occurence as the weather warms, producing small sporadic rainfall events. London is in the driest area of the UK and draws much of its water from underground.