Spring 2025 has brought notably dry weather across much of the UK, with most regions seeing far less rainfall than usual.
While this isn’t entirely unprecedented, the persistence of these dry conditions has sparked curiosity about what’s behind this unusual pattern.
What is causing this dry spring?
The main driving factor has been the prevalence of high-pressure. Large areas of high pressure, often extending from the Azores or mainland Europe, have lingered over or near the UK for extended periods since late February. High pressure typically brings settled, dry weather, and while it’s not unusual to see such pressure systems in spring, their persistence this year has been more pronounced than usual.
A key reason for this lies in the behaviour of the jet stream, a fast-flowing air current high in the atmosphere that usually guides weather systems across the Atlantic. This spring, the jet stream has taken a more meandering path, often looping north of the UK. This has allowed high pressure to remain in place for longer stretches, effectively blocking the usual progression of weather fronts.
READ MORE: What is the jet stream?
Ian Lisk, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “It’s all to do with our old friend, the jet stream. Weather typically moves across the UK from west to east, but the north-south amplification of the jet stream has enabled areas of high pressure to hang around in the vicinity of the UK. This means that our share of the more typical unsettled weather has been deflected away from us.”
“It is a bit unusual for it to have been this persistent, and with the consequences of it bringing the very, very dry spring we’ve had.
The dry spell is set to continue this week, but will we see the return of the warmer weather?
— Met Office (@metoffice) May 5, 2025
Find out all the week ahead details with meteorologist Craig Snell below 👇 pic.twitter.com/4gOgJwgm9v
Spring 2025 records
April 2025 has gone down as the sunniest on record for the UK since records began in 1910, with 47% more sunshine than the long-term average, according to provisional Met Office data. England experienced its sunniest April ever, while Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland each recorded their second sunniest.
The UK saw an average of 228.9 hours of sunshine during the month, with particularly bright conditions in the Midlands, East Anglia, and parts of Scotland. This follows a similarly sunny March, making it the sunniest March–April period on record for England.
Temperatures were also notably warm. The UK’s mean temperature for April was 9.6°C, 1.7°C above the long-term average, making it the third warmest April since records began in 1884. All four UK nations recorded their third warmest April, with daytime temperatures playing a major role. The highest temperature of the month was 26.7°C, recorded on 30 April in Wisley, Surrey. That day also tied with 19 April 2018 as the UK’s warmest April day on record for mean temperature.
The dry spell continues, with only a few places seeing some rain during the week ahead ⛅ pic.twitter.com/cv6abtWHzo
— Met Office (@metoffice) May 5, 2025
Rainfall was well below average, with the UK receiving just 56% of its typical April total. Northern Ireland was the exception, recording 114% of its average due to mid-month rain. Northern England was especially dry, with only 25% of its usual rainfall, while Tyne and Wear saw just 7%, making it the county’s second driest April since 1836.
With March and April both exceptionally warm and dry, spring 2025 could be one of the warmest and driest on record, though with May still underway, the full picture remains to be seen.
Keep up to date with weather warnings, and you can find the latest forecast on our website, on YouTube, by following us on X and Facebook, as well as on our mobile app which is available for iPhone from the App store and for Android from the Google Play store.