UK Extreme Weather Is the New Normal, Met Office Warns

Britain's national weather service, the Met Office, has released its annual State of the UK Climate report, concluding that what was once considered extreme weather is now becoming the new normal — and the shift is happening faster than scientists previously anticipated.

Record-Breaking Heat

The report found that 2025 was Britain's warmest year on record since measurements began in 1884, while the most recent decade was 1.33 degrees Celsius warmer than the 1961-1990 baseline. The average hottest day of the year has warmed by more than 4.5C in parts of southeast England compared to that baseline. The number of days above 30C in London has more than quadrupled. Temperatures of 35C or higher were recorded in May, June and July of this year for the first time.

"What we used to think of as extreme, we increasingly consider as normal," said Mike Kendon, lead author of the report.

Changing Alpine Zones

The report also warned that cold mountainous areas of Scotland — habitats for rare species including ptarmigan and mountain hares — are being lost as snowpack diminishes. This represents a major biodiversity threat.

Scientists say adaptation infrastructure including heat-resistant housing, urban green spaces, and updated public health guidance will need to accelerate significantly. Read more on Science.