Annual precipitation in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Annual precipitation was 962.53 millimeters in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
962.53 millimeters
Change on year
down 16.0%
World rank
97th
of 192 countries
All-time high
1,225 millimeters
in 2012
All-time low
733.27 millimeters
in 1955
Years of data
86
1940–2025
Annual precipitation in United Kingdom, 1940–2025
Source: Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in millimeters.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual precipitation in United Kingdom is 962.53 millimeters, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 16.0% on the previous year and down 15.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual precipitation in United Kingdom peaked at 1,225 millimeters in 2012 and was at its lowest, 733.27 millimeters, in 1955.
That places United Kingdom 97th out of 192 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 86 years of available data.
Annual precipitation in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | millimeters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 846.3 millimeters | — |
| 1941 | 785.79 millimeters | -7.2% |
| 1942 | 849.93 millimeters | +8.2% |
| 1943 | 871.07 millimeters | +2.5% |
| 1944 | 913.5 millimeters | +4.9% |
| 1945 | 860.71 millimeters | -5.8% |
| 1946 | 876.35 millimeters | +1.8% |
| 1947 | 744.79 millimeters | -15.0% |
| 1948 | 1,038 millimeters | +39.4% |
| 1949 | 899.28 millimeters | -13.4% |
| 1950 | 983.97 millimeters | +9.4% |
| 1951 | 1,020 millimeters | +3.6% |
| 1952 | 891.53 millimeters | -12.6% |
| 1953 | 853.07 millimeters | -4.3% |
| 1954 | 1,085 millimeters | +27.2% |
| 1955 | 733.27 millimeters | -32.4% |
| 1956 | 864.43 millimeters | +17.9% |
| 1957 | 896.15 millimeters | +3.7% |
| 1958 | 958.88 millimeters | +7.0% |
| 1959 | 816.71 millimeters | -14.8% |
| 1960 | 991.53 millimeters | +21.4% |
| 1961 | 874.1 millimeters | -11.8% |
| 1962 | 860.98 millimeters | -1.5% |
| 1963 | 859.13 millimeters | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 813.12 millimeters | -5.4% |
| 1965 | 982.92 millimeters | +20.9% |
| 1966 | 990.4 millimeters | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 1,029 millimeters | +3.9% |
| 1968 | 1,014 millimeters | -1.4% |
| 1969 | 898.63 millimeters | -11.4% |
| 1970 | 1,014 millimeters | +12.8% |
| 1971 | 899.6 millimeters | -11.3% |
| 1972 | 962.67 millimeters | +7.0% |
| 1973 | 840.81 millimeters | -12.7% |
| 1974 | 1,081 millimeters | +28.5% |
| 1975 | 863.9 millimeters | -20.0% |
| 1976 | 886.35 millimeters | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 1,003 millimeters | +13.2% |
| 1978 | 985.89 millimeters | -1.7% |
| 1979 | 1,078 millimeters | +9.4% |
| 1980 | 1,087 millimeters | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 1,086 millimeters | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 1,106 millimeters | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 1,013 millimeters | -8.5% |
| 1984 | 979.99 millimeters | -3.2% |
| 1985 | 1,050 millimeters | +7.1% |
| 1986 | 1,119 millimeters | +6.6% |
| 1987 | 1,011 millimeters | -9.7% |
| 1988 | 1,064 millimeters | +5.2% |
| 1989 | 961.23 millimeters | -9.7% |
| 1990 | 1,047 millimeters | +9.0% |
| 1991 | 912.19 millimeters | -12.9% |
| 1992 | 1,090 millimeters | +19.5% |
| 1993 | 1,037 millimeters | -4.9% |
| 1994 | 1,078 millimeters | +4.0% |
| 1995 | 921.75 millimeters | -14.5% |
| 1996 | 876.05 millimeters | -5.0% |
| 1997 | 952.09 millimeters | +8.7% |
| 1998 | 1,170 millimeters | +22.9% |
| 1999 | 1,127 millimeters | -3.7% |
| 2000 | 1,218 millimeters | +8.0% |
| 2001 | 979.26 millimeters | -19.6% |
| 2002 | 1,131 millimeters | +15.5% |
| 2003 | 846.46 millimeters | -25.2% |
| 2004 | 1,079 millimeters | +27.4% |
| 2005 | 969.36 millimeters | -10.1% |
| 2006 | 1,052 millimeters | +8.6% |
| 2007 | 1,077 millimeters | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 1,162 millimeters | +7.9% |
| 2009 | 1,079 millimeters | -7.2% |
| 2010 | 874.49 millimeters | -18.9% |
| 2011 | 1,026 millimeters | +17.4% |
| 2012 | 1,225 millimeters | +19.3% |
| 2013 | 976.56 millimeters | -20.3% |
| 2014 | 1,176 millimeters | +20.5% |
| 2015 | 1,137 millimeters | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 996.04 millimeters | -12.4% |
| 2017 | 1,024 millimeters | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 972.37 millimeters | -5.0% |
| 2019 | 1,144 millimeters | +17.7% |
| 2020 | 1,181 millimeters | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 1,063 millimeters | -10.0% |
| 2022 | 1,031 millimeters | -3.0% |
| 2023 | 1,179 millimeters | +14.3% |
| 2024 | 1,146 millimeters | -2.8% |
| 2025 | 962.53 millimeters | -16.0% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 962.53 millimeters is above the median for high income countries, which is 891.63 millimeters, 1.1× the median. (65 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 962.53 millimeters is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 765.92 millimeters, 1.3× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 868.57 millimeters | 744.79 millimeters | 1,038 millimeters | 10 |
| 1950s | 910.3 millimeters | 733.27 millimeters | 1,085 millimeters | 10 |
| 1960s | 931.32 millimeters | 813.12 millimeters | 1,029 millimeters | 10 |
| 1970s | 961.48 millimeters | 840.81 millimeters | 1,081 millimeters | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,048 millimeters | 961.23 millimeters | 1,119 millimeters | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,021 millimeters | 876.05 millimeters | 1,170 millimeters | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,059 millimeters | 846.46 millimeters | 1,218 millimeters | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,055 millimeters | 874.49 millimeters | 1,225 millimeters | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,094 millimeters | 962.53 millimeters | 1,181 millimeters | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More climate change data for United Kingdom
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 37,706 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 8,697 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 29,008 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 32.82 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,036 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,083 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 7,027 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 55.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 26.52 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual precipitation in United Kingdom?
- Annual precipitation in United Kingdom was 962.53 millimeters in 2025, according to Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual precipitation recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 1,225 millimeters in 2012.
- What is the lowest annual precipitation recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 733.27 millimeters in 1955.
- How does United Kingdom rank for annual precipitation?
- United Kingdom ranks 97th out of 192 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual precipitation rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual precipitation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 86 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total annual precipitation—rain and snow—calculated as the sum of daily averages, reported as the depth of water falling to Earth's surface, excluding fog and dew.