Met Office: Warmest UK summer since records began in 1884
The Met Office has confirmed that summer 2025 is the warmest on record for the UK, with a mean temperature of 16.10°C recorded between 1 June and 31 August. This is 1.51°C above the long-term average and beats the previous high of 15.76°C set in 2018.
In Wales, the mean temperature was 16.06°C, 1.43°C above average. June was the nation’s second warmest on record, while August brought sunshine levels 16 per cent above the seasonal norm.
Dr Emily Carlisle of the Met Office said: “Provisional Met Office statistics show that summer 2025 is officially the warmest on record with a mean temperature of 16.10°C, surpassing the previous record of 15.76°C set in 2018. The persistent warmth this year has been driven by a combination of factors including the domination of high-pressure systems, unusually warm seas around the UK and the dry spring soils.”
Across the UK, four short heatwaves were recorded, with a peak of 35.8°C in Kent. While below the record of 40.3°C set in 2022, the sustained heat made 2025 exceptional.
Met Office attribution analysis found that a summer as hot as 2025 is now 70 times more likely than it would have been without human-induced climate change. Dr Mark McCarthy, head of climate attribution, said: “Our analysis shows that the summer of 2025 has been made much more likely because of the greenhouse gases humans have released since the industrial revolution. In a natural climate, we could expect to see a summer like 2025 with an approximate return period of around 340 years, while in the current climate we could expect to see these sorts of summers roughly 1 in every 5 years.”
Rainfall was below average across the UK, at 84 per cent of the seasonal norm, with England driest at 69 per cent. Sunshine levels were higher than average in every UK nation except Northern Ireland.
The summer also saw a mix of extremes. Storm Floris brought heavy rain to northern Scotland in early August, while central and eastern England saw a five-day heatwave later in the month.
The five warmest UK summers on record are now:
2025: 16.10°C
2018: 15.76°C
2006: 15.75°C
2003: 15.74°C
2022: 15.71°C
The dry summer has now triggered an official drought declaration for North Wales, confirmed by Natural Resources Wales on 29 August. Areas affected include the Dee catchment, Clwyd, and parts of Gwynedd.
NRW said streams have dried up, fish are in distress, and a major wildfire broke out at Newborough National Nature Reserve over the bank holiday.
Met Office climate projections suggest hotter summers will continue, with recent years reflecting the trend. Since 2000, all five warmest UK summers have been recorded.
Check live fuel prices near you before you set off.
Spotted something? Got a story? Email news (@) deeside.com
NEW: Add Deeside.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Latest News
