Summer 2025 was the hottest on record in the UK, with an average temperature of 16.1°C between June 1 and August 31. That value is 1.51°C above the long-term average and 0.34°C above the previous record set in 2018. In a natural climate such heat would be expected roughly once every 340 years, but greenhouse-gas emissions have increased its likelihood to about once every five years. The five warmest summers in the UK record have all occurred since 2000. Persistent high-pressure systems, unusually warm surrounding seas, and dry soils drove the sustained warmth and elevated maximum and minimum temperatures. Current climate conditions make even hotter summers plausible and extremes more common.
This summer's balmy weather has been a treat for beachgoers and holidaymakers - but scientists warn that it reflects a more worrying trend. As the Met Office declares summer 2025 to be the hottest summer on record, research shows that the record-breaking heat was made 70 times more likely by climate change. In a natural climate, we would only expect to see a summer this hot once every 340 years.
Worryingly, although 2025 broke all previous records, the Met Office says it is barely exceptional for the current climate. Compared to previous record summers, like that of 1976, 2025's weather patterns and heatwaves could have been far more intense. Dr Mark McCarthy, head of climate attribution at the Met Office, says: 'Our analysis suggests that while 2025 has set a new record, we could plausibly experience much hotter summers in our current and near-future climate.'
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