The United Kingdom has just experienced its warmest spring on record, alongside the driest seasonal conditions in more than half a century, according to the UK Met Office.
Data released on Monday by the national weather service revealed that average temperatures between March and May reached 9.51°C (49.1°F), surpassing the previous record of 9.37°C set during spring 2024.
The Met Office noted that eight of the ten warmest springs in the UK have occurred since 2000, highlighting a significant warming trend in recent decades.
“This data clearly shows that the UK has been experiencing warmer, sunnier, and often drier weather compared to the 20th-century average,” said Met Office climate scientist Emily Carlisle.
In addition to the heat, spring 2025 brought notably low rainfall. Just 128.2 millimetres (about 5 inches) of rain fell across the UK — roughly 40% below the seasonal average — making it the driest spring in over 50 years. England, in particular, recorded its driest spring since 1893.
Carlisle emphasized the broader implications of these weather patterns: “What stands out this year is the mix of record-breaking temperatures and sunshine alongside extremely low rainfall. This is another indication of how the UK’s climate is shifting, with prolonged periods of dry, sunny weather becoming more frequent.”
Meteorologists attribute the unusual spring weather to a series of persistent high-pressure systems, often originating from the Azores or continental Europe, which have remained over the UK since late February.
These systems disrupted the typical flow of weather fronts from the Atlantic, allowing high-pressure conditions to dominate.
In response to the ongoing dry spell, the Environment Agency (EA) convened its national drought group last month, citing “exceptionally low” reservoir levels. EA Deputy Director for Water, Richard Thompson, cautioned that the nation could expect more frequent summer droughts in the years ahead due to the evolving climate.
Although an official drought has not been declared, authorities warn that the UK faces a “medium risk” of drought this summer without a significant increase in rainfall.
To address water supply challenges, the UK government has announced plans to fast-track the construction of two new reservoirs — the first such initiative since 1992, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Experts have continue to warn that rising global temperatures driven by fossil fuel emissions are intensifying weather extremes, with unpredictable patterns becoming more commonplace.
Leave a Reply