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The UK has experienced an extraordinary year, with 2025 confirmed by the Met Office as both the warmest and sunniest year ever recorded. Preliminary figures indicate an average temperature of 10.09°C, surpassing the previous record of 10.03°C from 2022. This achievement places 2025 alongside 2022 and 2023 as the three warmest years on record, marking only the second time the annual mean temperature has exceeded 10°C. Additionally, the year saw an exceptional amount of sunshine, totaling 1,648.5 hours—61.4 more hours than the prior record set in 2003.
Among 2025’s memorable weather features was the hottest summer ever documented in the UK, distinguished by four separate heatwaves. Early June brought temperatures above 33°C, followed by another surge later that month which resulted in Wimbledon experiencing its hottest tournament start. July included a short cooler period before a third heatwave delivered the highest temperatures of the year to Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. The final heatwave in August saw a peak of 33.4°C in parts of England, while Scotland recorded its highest August temperatures since 2003 with 31.6°C at Charterhall. Throughout the summer months, there was an abundance of sunshine accompanied by varying rainfall patterns, with northern and western regions receiving more rain than average, in contrast to drier conditions elsewhere.
In January, the UK faced one of the most significant windstorms of the century, Storm Éowyn, which caused widespread disruption and damage, particularly in Northern Ireland and central Scotland. Wind gusts ranged between 80 and 90 mph in many areas, prompting the Met Office to issue rare red warnings—the highest warning level—for parts of Scotland and all of Northern Ireland. This storm was the fifth named of the season and was notably the most powerful wind event in the UK for a decade, with the broadest occurrence of gusts above 80 mph seen this century. The severe conditions led to transport chaos and forced millions to remain indoors. Tragically, a fatality occurred when a tree fell onto a vehicle in County Donegal. Storm Éowyn was later surpassed by Storm Floris in early August in terms of severity.
Spring of 2025 was remarkable for record-breaking warmth and dryness across all four UK nations. Temperatures were warmer than average throughout March, April, and May, with spring registering as the warmest ever since records began in 1884, beating the previous record set in 2024. The season was also characterized by significant dryness, including the driest March since 1960 for England and Wales, and overall the sixth driest spring on record for the UK. Rainfall was only slightly above half the expected amount, causing concern for reservoirs and the potential of drought. To mitigate water shortages, several water companies introduced hosepipe bans by July, with the National Drought Group warning of a “medium risk” of official drought without sustained rainfall.
November brought an unusual mix of weather extremes, starting with an unseasonably mild period featuring record-breaking high minimum temperatures. On November 5th, Chivenor in Devon recorded 14.8°C, marking the warmest Bonfire Night on record. However, this was quickly followed by a sharp onset of Arctic air, producing heavy snow and plummeting temperatures. Kinbrace in the Highlands experienced lows of -12.4°C on November 11th, the coldest November night in nearly 15 years. Snow showers affected northern and eastern Scotland and northeast England, with accumulations up to 25 cm causing considerable disruption. A “Pembrokeshire Dangler” stream of wintry showers also resulted in significant snowfall in southwest Wales and Cornwall. While such cold spells in autumn are not unusual historically, in the context of a warming climate, early November snow and ice are becoming increasingly rare
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