The Met Office has confirmed that 2025 was the UK's warmest and sunniest year since records began. The mean temperature reached 10.09°C, surpassing the previous record set in 2022, while total sunshine hours hit 1,648.5, exceeding the 2003 record by 61.4 hours.
This marks the third time this decade that the UK has experienced its hottest year, with 2022 and 2023 ranking second and third respectively. All of the top ten warmest years have occurred in the last two decades, which scientists attribute to human-induced climate change.
Dr Mark McCarthy, head of climate attribution at the Met Office, said: “2025 was the warmest year on record for the UK, surpassing the previous record set in 2022, in a series dating back to 1884. We’re increasingly seeing UK temperatures break new ground in our changing climate.”
Every month except January and September was warmer than average, with spring and summer both setting new records. Dr Emily Carlisle noted: “In the six months from March to August, every month was at least 1°C above the 1991-2020 average.” Persistent high-pressure systems and above-average sea temperatures were key drivers.
The record sunshine boosted solar energy generation, with solar farms meeting over 6% of Britain's annual energy needs—a 50% increase on recent years. Rainfall was below average, with some areas experiencing record lows.
