UKCP09: UK Regional 1961-1990 Baseline Averages for Extreme Temperature Range

UKCP09 provides long-term average climate data for the 1961-1990 baseline period across 14 UK administrative regions and 23 river basins. The Met Office produced these regional values by averaging 5 x 5 km grid cell data, with financial support from the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Annual variables like extreme temperature range are represented by a single average value per region.

Use Cases

• Establishing historical climate baselines for UK regions based on the 1961-1990 averages.
• Analyzing spatial patterns of extreme temperature ranges across UK administrative regions and river basins.
• Comparing regional climate characteristics using the provided annual average values.
• Supporting climate impact assessments and projections by providing a verified historical reference dataset.

Strengths

• Data covers a standard 30-year climate baseline period (1961-1990).
• Values are provided for two distinct spatial frameworks: 14 administrative regions and 23 river basins.
• Regional values are derived from a consistent 5 x 5 km grid, suggesting a standardized spatial aggregation method.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Access requires registration on the Met Office website, adding a step before data inspection.

Provenance

Source

Met Office, UK

Collection Method

Averaged from 5 x 5 km grid cell values falling within each region.

Time Range

1961-1990

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-08 13:32:40.298694; freshness should be verified.

Geography

United Kingdom (14 administrative regions, 23 river basins)