What's happened
The UK is on track for its warmest year on record, with 2025 likely surpassing 2022's temperature. Despite a colder Christmas spell, the year's average temperature is projected at 10.05°C, driven by heatwaves and climate change. Experts warn this trend signals unprecedented climate shifts.
What's behind the headline?
The UK’s record-breaking warmth in 2025 underscores the accelerating impact of climate change. The data shows four of the last five years are among the top five warmest since 1884, with all of the top 10 occurring in the last two decades. This rapid warming is unprecedented in observational records. Experts like Mike Kendon highlight that each new record is warmer than the last, indicating a clear, ongoing trend. The forecast suggests 2025 will be only the second year where the UK’s annual mean temperature exceeds 10°C, a threshold that signifies a significant shift in climate norms. The implications are profound: increased frequency of heatwaves, droughts, and extreme weather events. Climate scientist Friederike Otto describes the situation as 'devastating,' emphasizing that higher temperatures mean more extreme summer conditions. Policy experts like Bob Ward stress the urgency of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate further warming. The consistent breaking of temperature records signals that climate change is no longer a distant threat but an immediate reality, demanding urgent action to prevent catastrophic impacts.
What the papers say
The Independent reports that 2025 is on track to surpass 2022 as the UK's warmest year, with an average temperature of 10.05°C. The Guardian highlights that 2025 is 'more likely than not' to break the record, noting the influence of heatwaves and droughts. Both sources emphasize the unprecedented nature of recent climate trends, with the Met Office warning that the last four decades have seen a 1°C rise in annual temperatures. Experts like Mike Kendon and Friederike Otto underline the significance of these records, linking them to broader climate change impacts. The Guardian also points out that 2024 was the hottest year on record, with 2025 potentially following suit, illustrating a clear pattern of warming. The Met Office forecasts suggest that 2026 will also be among the hottest years, with global temperatures projected to stay well above preindustrial levels, nearing the critical 1.5°C threshold set by the Paris Agreement. Overall, these reports paint a consistent picture of a rapidly changing climate with tangible consequences for the UK and the world.
How we got here
Recent years have seen a rapid increase in UK temperatures, with 2022 previously holding the record. The trend is linked to global climate change, driven by fossil fuel emissions and environmental degradation. The UK’s climate has warmed by about 1°C over the past four decades, with recent years consistently ranking among the warmest since 1884.
Go deeper
Common question
-
Is 2025 the Warmest Year Ever in the UK?
2025 is shaping up to be the warmest year on record for the UK, surpassing previous highs set in recent years. This trend is driven by increasing heatwaves and climate change impacts. But what does this mean for the UK and the planet? Below, we answer common questions about this record-breaking year and what it signals for the future.
-
How Are Today’s Major News Stories Connected?
Today’s headlines cover a wide range of topics, from political stability in France to conflicts in the Middle East, environmental changes, and shifts in US diplomacy. While they seem different on the surface, these stories are interconnected through themes of stability, accountability, and resilience. Exploring these connections can help us understand the bigger picture behind current events and their global impact. Below, we answer some common questions about how these stories relate and what they mean for the world today.
More on these topics
-
The Meteorological Office, abbreviated as the Met Office is the United Kingdom's national weather service. It is an executive agency and trading fund of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy led by CEO Penelope Endersby, who took on
-
Adam A. Scaife is a British physicist and head of long range prediction at the Met Office. He is also a professor at Exeter University.
Scaife carries out research into long range weather forecasting and computer modelling of the climate and has published