The United Kingdom is on course to witness its warmest year since records began, with 2025 set to eclipse the previous high mark set just three years ago. Provisional figures from the Met Office indicate that, despite a potential cold snap over the festive period, this year will rival or even beat 2022 for the title of the UK's hottest year.
Tracking Towards a Historic High
According to the national weather service, the mean temperature recorded up to 21 December is tracking significantly ahead of the previous record-holder, 2022. The projected average for the entire year is 10.05°C, which would narrowly surpass the 10.03°C average from 2022. This makes 2025 only the second year in observational history where the UK's annual mean temperature has exceeded the symbolic 10.0°C threshold.
Mike Kendon, a senior scientist in the Met Office’s climate information team, stated that such a record should be expected given the long-term trend. "Over the last four decades we have seen the UK’s annual temperature rise by around 1.0°C," he explained. "We will have to wait for the year end before confirming 2025’s final number, but at this stage it looks more likely than not that 2025 will be confirmed as the warmest year on record for the UK."
A Rapidly Changing Climate Pattern
The data paints a stark picture of accelerating change. Four of the UK's last five years are now set to feature in the top five warmest years in a series stretching back to 1884. Remarkably, every single one of the top-ten warmest years has occurred within the last two decades.
Kendon emphasised the unprecedented pace of change: "Since the start of the twenty first century a new record has been set for UK annual mean temperature no less than six times – in 2002, 2003, 2006, 2014, 2022 and now 2025 (if confirmed) – each record progressively warmer than the last. In terms of our climate, we are living in extraordinary times."
Sunshine and Summer Heat Records Tumble
Alongside the annual temperature milestone, 2025 has already been provisionally crowned the sunniest year on record for the UK. The country recorded 1,622 hours of sunshine up to 15 December, beating the previous record set in 2003 in a series dating to 1910.
The summer of 2025 also set a new benchmark, officially becoming the warmest summer on record. The mean temperature from June to August stood at 16.10°C, which is 1.51°C above the long-term meteorological average. This was driven in part by four distinct heatwaves that affected the nation between June and August.
Looking ahead, the Met Office has also issued a forecast for 2026, predicting it will likely be another year where the global temperature anomaly exceeds 1.4°C, with a central estimate of 1.46°C.
The final confirmation of 2025's record status awaits year-end data, with a colder spell forecast between Christmas and New Year potentially making it a close call. However, the overarching trend remains clear: the UK's climate is warming at a remarkable rate, with each new record highlighting the profound shifts underway.
