UK experienced warmest year on record in 2025, Met Office confirms

New data from the forecasters revealed that the country's mean average temperature across the year was 10.09C, which topped the previous record of 10.03C set in 2022.

Four of the UK's top five warmest years have occurred in the current decade, with all of the top ten taking place in the past two decades.

Persistent dry and sunny spells in 2025 meant that every month except January and September which were warmer than average, according to the Met Office.

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Records were soon being broken, as first spring and then summer proved to be the UK’s warmest on record, while spring was the driest in the UK for more than 100 years.

A run of four heatwaves from mid-June to mid-August sent temperatures above 30C in many areas, with a peak of 35.8C measured on July 1 in Faversham in Kent.

Droughts were also declared in several regions, reservoir sites fell below 50 per cent of their usual capacity and a handful of water companies issued hosepipe bans.

Dr Mark McCarthy, head of climate attribution at the Met Office, said: "We're increasingly seeing UK temperatures break new ground in our changing climate, as demonstrated by a new highest UK mean temperature record just three years after the last record.

"This very warm year is in line with expected consequences of human-induced climate change.

"Although it doesn’t mean every year will be the warmest on record, it is clear from our weather observations and climate models that human-induced global warming is impacting the UK's climate."

Across the UK, 2025 was the warmest year on record for England and Scotland and the second warmest (behind 2023) for Wales and Northern Ireland.

Met Office scientist Dr Emily Carlisle said: "While many will remember the long warm spring and summer of 2025, what has been noteworthy this year has been the consistent heat throughout the year, with every month except January and September warmer than average.

"In the six months from March to August, every month was at least 1C above the 1991-2020 average.

"Meteorologically, the warmth has been driven largely by persistent high-pressure systems bringing prolonged dry, sunny conditions, alongside above-average sea temperatures around the UK.

"These factors have combined to keep temperatures consistently higher than normal for much of the year."

The long spells of dry weather during spring and summer were followed by a wetter than average September, November and December, meaning that overall the UK ended 2025 having received 90 per cent of its long-term average rainfall.

Despite the wetter conditions towards the end of the year, parts of Sussex remain officially in drought.

Helen Wakeham, director of water at the Environment Agency, added: "The dry weather through last spring and summer saw widespread drought, which had impacts on our wildlife, our rivers, our canals, and farmers' harvests.

"This lack of water also caused real pressure on our public water supplies, with many reservoirs reaching worryingly low levels and hosepipe bans for nearly ten million people.

"Climate change means we will see more extremes of droughts and floods, and we could be in for a difficult time again this year if we have a repeat of 2025."