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State of the UK Climate

Annual publication which provides an up-to-date assessment of the UK climate

The 2025 report is published as a special issue of the International Journal of Climatology, which is the Royal Meteorological Society journal of climate science and provides a review of the UK’s climate and significant meteorological events of the year.

Latest report 

Highlights of the 2025 report

  • The UK is warming: 2025 was the warmest year in the UK series from 1884, with the last four years in the top five warmest. The most recent decade, 2016 -2025, has been 0.51°C warmer than the period 1991-2020, and 1.33C warmer than 1961-1990. 
  • Extremes are increasing: Over recent decades, temperature extremes have increased, becoming more frequent and more intense. For example, 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. 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. 
  • Marine heatwaves have increased: 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.
  • Wetter winter half-year: 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. Occurrences of very wet months from October to March with twice the 1961-1990 average rainfall have approximately doubled for the most recent decade 2016-2025, compared to 1961-1990. 
  • Increased sunshine: 2025 was the sunniest year in the UK series from 1910, and included the UK’s sunniest spring. The most recent decade 2016-2025 has been 4% sunnier than 1991-2020 and 10% sunnier than 1961-1990. 
  • Low river flows: The total flow of rivers in England during March to August 2025 was the second lowest in a series from 1961, lower even than several other major summer droughts except 1976. 
  • Sea level rise is accelerating: Since 1901, the sea level around the UK has risen by about 20.1 cm (likely range 16.6 to 23.6cm), but this is accelerating, with two-thirds of this rise happening over the last three decades. 
  • High seed yields: Nature's Calendar citizen science observations showed the highest seed yields on record (since 2001) for some common UK tree and shrub species likely associated with the extreme warm, dry and sunny conditions experienced between April and September.

The report is based on observations from a network of several hundred weather stations, with temperature and rainfall data from these extending back to the 19th Century providing long term context. These data tell us how our climate has already changed here in the UK. 

State of UK Climate 2025 infographic: UK’s warmest year on record, with rising temperatures, sunshine and sea levels.


Previous reports (PDF format)

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