State of the UK Climate 2025

The 2025 State of the UK Climate report - published 15th July 2026

Key observations from 2025

• 2025 was the warmest year in the UK series from 1884, with the last four years in the top five warmest.
• 2025 included the UK’s warmest spring and summer on record, with the six months (March to August) all in the top ten warmest of their respective monthly series.
• The most recent decade 2016 -2025, has been 0.51°C warmer than the period 1991-2020, and 1.33C warmer than 1961-1990
• The average hottest day of the year has warmed by over 4.5°C in a swathe from Kent to Lincolnshire for the most recent decade, 2016-2025, compared to 1961-1990
• The number of days over 30°C and nights over 18°C has more than quadrupled for Greater London for the most recent decade, 2016–2025, compared to 1961–1990.
• There were 297 marine heatwave days for Northwest European seas and the Northeast Atlantic in 2025, referenced to the 1991-2020 period, more than any other year since 1982 and exceeding the previous record of 178 days in 2023
• In spring 2025, most of England and Wales received less than half of the 1991-2020 average rainfall, and in some places less than one third. England had its driest spring for over 100 years.
• The winter half-year (October to March) for the most recent decade, 2016–2025, has been 3% wetter than 1991–2020, and 13% wetter than 1961–1990, with little change for the summer half-year
• Spring and summer 2025 combined saw less than 40% of 1991–2020 average rainfall in the driest areas, but for durations longer than six months the 1976 drought was far more severe
• 2025 was the sunniest year in the UK series from 1910, with 1645 sunshine hours, 117% of the 1991-2020 average.
• Spring 2025 was the sunniest spring in the UK series from 1910 and also sunnier than all but three summers: 1976; 1995 and 1911.

Climate and nature 

Many species and processes in nature are closely linked with climate. In 2025 high seed yields from common UK trees and shrubs were likely associated with the extreme warm, dry and sunny conditions experienced between April and September.
• In 2025, Nature’s Calendar citizen science observations showed the highest seed yields on record (since 2001) for some common UK tree and shrub species.
• Seed yields of Blackthorn, Pedunculate oak and Sessile oak in 2025 were particularly high. For oak this phenomenon is often described as a ‘mast’ year.