# Climate of Liverpool

The climate of Liverpool features a temperate maritime variety (Köppen: Cfb), with relatively mild summers, cool winters and rainfall spread fairly evenly throughout the year. Since 1867, rainfall and temperature records for the city have been kept at Bidston Observatory, as well as atmospheric pressure records since 1846. However, the site closed down in 2002, and a weather station in Crosby has been used by the Met Office since. Irregular meteorological observations have been taken in the city since at least 1768, with unbroken records extending for long periods of time. This includes observations taken at the Liverpool Dock from 1768 to 1798, an unspecified location from 1772 to 1799 and West Derby from 1830 to 1859 and at other unspecified locations in the city from at least 1860 onward. Continuous observations in different areas of the city have been taken since 1830. In modern times, there have also been other stations to operate in the Liverpool area, including stations at West Kirby (1912–1979), Aigburth (1967–1994), and Liverpool John Lennon Airport (1946–present).
Since records began, the lowest temperature ever recorded in the Liverpool and Merseyside area is −17.6 °C (0.3 °F) on 21 December 2010, and the highest temperature recorded is 36.0 °C (96.8 °F) was on 18 July 2022, and 19 July 2022. The highest daily minimum temperature is 22.5 °C (72.5 °F) reported on 19 July 2022, and the lowest daily maximum temperature is −6.9 °C (19.6 °F) on 20 December 2010. On average, the amount of air frost days per year is below the national average, and in winter, snow is not very common, with heavy snow occurring rarely. Rain is also a common occurrence in the city, but droughts have been known to cause some canal infrastructure problems in the summer, without affecting consumer consumption to any noticeable extent, the most recent drought occurring in the 2018 heat wave.

## Classifications

Liverpool Climate according to major climate systems :
| Climatic scheme | Initials | Description |
| Köppen system | Cfb | Oceanic climate |
| Trewartha system | Do | Temperate oceanic climate |
| Alisov system | — | Temperate climate |
| Strahler system | — | Marine west-coast |
| Thornthwaite system | C2 B'1 | Moist subhumid |
| Neef system | — | West side/maritime climate |

## Temperature

The average yearly high temperature in Liverpool is 13.2 °C (55.8 °F) and the average yearly low temperature is 7.2 °C (45.0 °F). The average daily mean is 10.1 °C (50.2 °F).

### Averages

Climate data for Crosby, elevation: 30 m (98 ft), 1981–2010 averages :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.2 (45.0) | 7.3 (45.1) | 9.4 (48.9) | 12.2 (54.0) | 15.6 (60.1) | 17.9 (64.2) | 19.7 (67.5) | 19.4 (66.9) | 17.3 (63.1) | 13.9 (57.0) | 10.2 (50.4) | 7.5 (45.5) | 13.2 (55.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.8 (40.6) | 4.7 (40.5) | 6.6 (43.9) | 8.7 (47.7) | 11.8 (53.2) | 14.5 (58.1) | 16.5 (61.7) | 16.3 (61.3) | 14.2 (57.6) | 11.1 (52.0) | 7.7 (45.9) | 5.0 (41.0) | 10.1 (50.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 2.4 (36.3) | 2.1 (35.8) | 3.8 (38.8) | 5.1 (41.2) | 7.9 (46.2) | 11.1 (52.0) | 13.3 (55.9) | 13.2 (55.8) | 11.0 (51.8) | 8.2 (46.8) | 5.2 (41.4) | 2.5 (36.5) | 7.2 (45.0) |
| Source 1: Met Office ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Oceanography Centre ||||||||||||||

### Extremes

Due to Liverpool having an oceanic climate, extremes of temperatures are rare. Furthermore, being located close to the sea, wind chill is enhanced as a result of stronger winds as well as heat indexes being higher as a result of the higher humidity found close to bodies of water.
Climate data for Crosby, elevation: 30 m (98 ft), 1867–present extremes :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.1 (59.2) | 18.9 (66.0) | 21.2 (70.2) | 24.6 (76.3) | 28.2 (82.8) | 30.7 (87.3) | 36.0 (96.8) | 34.5 (94.1) | 30.4 (86.7) | 25.9 (78.6) | 18.7 (65.7) | 15.8 (60.4) | 36.0 (96.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −13.1 (8.4) | −11.3 (11.7) | −7.2 (19.0) | −5.6 (21.9) | −1.7 (28.9) | 3.4 (38.1) | 6.6 (43.9) | 3.1 (37.6) | 1.7 (35.1) | −2.9 (26.8) | −7.5 (18.5) | −17.6 (0.3) | −17.6 (0.3) |
| Source 1: Met Office ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Oceanography Centre ||||||||||||||

## Precipitation

Rainfall is fairly regular throughout the year in Liverpool, with no wet or dry season as a result of its oceanic climate. All records refer to the Bidston Observatory from 1867 to 2002 and Crosby from then on.

### Averages

Climate data for Crosby, elevation: 30 m (98 ft), 1981–2010 normals :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 74.9 (2.95) | 54.4 (2.14) | 63.6 (2.50) | 54.3 (2.14) | 54.9 (2.16) | 66.2 (2.61) | 59.0 (2.32) | 68.9 (2.71) | 71.7 (2.82) | 97.3 (3.83) | 82.6 (3.25) | 88.8 (3.50) | 836.6 (32.94) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 13.8 | 10.7 | 12.5 | 10.4 | 10.6 | 10.5 | 10.1 | 11.2 | 11.5 | 14.8 | 14.6 | 13.9 | 144.3 |
| Source 1: Met Office ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Oceanography Centre ||||||||||||||
Climate data for Liverpool Docks, elevation: 41 ft (12 m), 1772–1799 normals :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 54.3 (2.14) | 48.3 (1.90) | 36.4 (1.43) | 46.7 (1.84) | 61.9 (2.44) | 74.3 (2.93) | 79.0 (3.11) | 91.8 (3.61) | 89.2 (3.51) | 90.7 (3.57) | 82.6 (3.25) | 60.6 (2.39) | 815.8 (32.12) |
| Source: Met Office ||||||||||||||

### Extremes
## Sunshine

Records of sunshine were kept at Bidston from 1908 to 2002. The station at Crosby does not report sunshine data. The closest station that does so now is Hawarden, Flintshire, 25 miles (40 km) away.
Climate data for Bidston, 1971–2000 :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 56.0 | 70.3 | 105.1 | 154.2 | 207.0 | 191.5 | 197.0 | 175.2 | 132.7 | 97.3 | 65.8 | 46.8 | 1,499.1 |
| Source 1: Met Office ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Oceanography Centre ||||||||||||||

### Extremes
## Wind

The mean yearly wind speed at 10m in Liverpool is 13.6 miles per hour (11.8 kn).

## Climatic data

Climate data for Crosby WMO ID: 03316; coordinates 53°29′50″N 3°03′28″W﻿ / ﻿53.49721°N 3.05767°W﻿ / 53.49721; -3.05767﻿ (Met Office Crosby); elevation: 30 m (98 ft); 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1867–present :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.1 (59.2) | 18.9 (66.0) | 21.2 (70.2) | 24.6 (76.3) | 28.2 (82.8) | 30.7 (87.3) | 35.5 (95.9) | 34.5 (94.1) | 30.4 (86.7) | 25.9 (78.6) | 18.7 (65.7) | 15.8 (60.4) | 35.5 (95.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.5 (45.5) | 7.9 (46.2) | 9.9 (49.8) | 12.8 (55.0) | 15.9 (60.6) | 18.4 (65.1) | 20.0 (68.0) | 19.7 (67.5) | 17.7 (63.9) | 14.2 (57.6) | 10.5 (50.9) | 8.0 (46.4) | 13.6 (56.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 5.2 (41.4) | 5.3 (41.5) | 6.9 (44.4) | 9.2 (48.6) | 12.1 (53.8) | 14.9 (58.8) | 16.7 (62.1) | 16.6 (61.9) | 14.5 (58.1) | 11.4 (52.5) | 8.1 (46.6) | 5.6 (42.1) | 10.5 (50.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 2.8 (37.0) | 2.7 (36.9) | 3.9 (39.0) | 5.6 (42.1) | 8.3 (46.9) | 11.3 (52.3) | 13.5 (56.3) | 13.5 (56.3) | 11.2 (52.2) | 8.5 (47.3) | 5.7 (42.3) | 3.1 (37.6) | 7.5 (45.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −13.1 (8.4) | −11.3 (11.7) | −8.6 (16.5) | −5.6 (21.9) | −1.7 (28.9) | 1.0 (33.8) | 5.0 (41.0) | 3.1 (37.6) | 1.7 (35.1) | −2.9 (26.8) | −7.5 (18.5) | −17.6 (0.3) | −17.6 (0.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 69.4 (2.73) | 57.1 (2.25) | 53.3 (2.10) | 49.8 (1.96) | 52.5 (2.07) | 64.4 (2.54) | 65.5 (2.58) | 72.1 (2.84) | 76.6 (3.02) | 89.7 (3.53) | 82.2 (3.24) | 91.9 (3.62) | 824.3 (32.45) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 13.8 | 11.5 | 11.3 | 10.0 | 9.8 | 10.4 | 11.0 | 12.2 | 11.8 | 14.4 | 15.5 | 15.4 | 146.9 |
| Average snowy days | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 22 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 85.1 | 83.5 | 80.7 | 77.9 | 76.6 | 78.9 | 79.0 | 80.1 | 81.9 | 84.6 | 85.1 | 85.6 | 80.8 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 56.0 | 70.3 | 105.1 | 154.2 | 207.0 | 191.5 | 197.0 | 175.2 | 132.7 | 97.3 | 65.8 | 46.8 | 1,499.1 |
| Mean daily daylight hours | 8.2 | 9.9 | 11.9 | 14.1 | 15.9 | 16.9 | 16.4 | 14.7 | 12.7 | 10.5 | 8.6 | 7.6 | 12.3 |
| Average ultraviolet index | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Source 1: Met Office ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Oceanography Centre WeatherAtlas CEDA Archive ||||||||||||||
* ↑ Also called marine west coast.
* ↑ Mid-latitude temperate maritime climate
* ↑ Weather station is located 7 miles (11 km) from the Liverpool city centre.
* ↑ From 1867–2002, extremes were recorded at the Bidston Observatory in Wirral. Since 2002, extremes were recorded at Crosby, Sefton.
* ↑ Hawarden exceeded this value in 2019, with 114.6 hours.
* ↑ Hawarden exceeded this value in 2014, with 84.3 hours.
* ↑ Weather station is located 7 miles (11 km) from the Liverpool city centre.
* ↑ Sunshine hours were recorded at the Bidston Observatory from the period of 1971–2000.
* ↑ Humidity was recorded at the Bidston Observatory for the period of 1975–June 2002. The period Jul–Sep 1992 has no record, with Jan–May 2001 reporting unreliabe data.
* ↑ From 1867–2002, extremes were recorded at the Bidston Observatory in Wirral. Since 1983, extremes were recorded at Crosby, Sefton.