Weather and climate news

2025 has broken historical climate records, with provisional Met Office figures showing it has been both the warmest and sunniest year on record for the UK.

The New Year Plant Hunt, co-ordinated by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI), is a survey recording plants in flower around New Year’s Day.

Amber and yellow National Severe Weather Warnings have been issued for snow and ice as Arctic air brings a prolonged spell of very cold weather for the start of the New Year.

Several National Severe Weather Warnings have been issued marking a significant change in conditions.

We’ll see a transition to more unsettled and wintry conditions into the New Year, with a snow and ice warning issued and more likely to come.

As we approach year end, 2025 is on track to be one of the UK’s warmest years on record, joining 2022 and 2023 in the top three warmest years.

The Met Office outlook for the global average temperature in 2026 suggests an extension of the run of years with a value above 1.4°C, compared to pre-industrial levels.