es.euronews.com
UK Records Hottest Summer on Record in 2025
The UK experienced its hottest summer on record in 2025, with an average temperature 1.51°C above the long-term average, driven by four heatwaves and significantly lower rainfall.
- What factors contributed to the record-breaking heat in the UK during the summer of 2025?
- The persistent heat was due to a combination of factors, including dominant high-pressure systems, unusually warm seas around the UK, and dry spring conditions. These factors created an environment where heat accumulated rapidly and lasted, resulting in significantly higher maximum and minimum temperatures than average. The UK experienced four distinct heatwaves, with multiple days exceeding 30°C in each.
- What was the average temperature during the summer of 2025 in the UK, and how does it compare to previous years?
- The average temperature in the UK from June 1st to August 31st, 2025, was 16.10°C, exceeding the previous record of 15.76°C set in 2018 by 0.34°C and surpassing the long-term average by 1.51°C. This pushes the famously hot summer of 1976 out of the top five warmest summers since records began in 1884.
- How much more likely are summers as hot as, or hotter than, the summer of 2025, due to human-induced climate change?
- A Met Office analysis shows that a summer as hot as, or hotter than, 2025's is now approximately 70 times more likely than it would have been in a world without human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. Such summers would have occurred roughly once every 340 years in a pre-industrial climate, but are now expected approximately every five years.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The article presents a clear and factual account of the record-breaking heatwave in the UK, emphasizing the role of climate change. The headline directly states the summer as the hottest on record, setting the stage for the data-driven analysis that follows. While the article highlights the severity of the heatwave and its consequences (water shortages, crop losses), it doesn't sensationalize the information or use emotionally charged language. The inclusion of expert opinions from the Met Office and World Weather Attribution adds credibility and avoids subjective interpretations. The structure is chronological, following the progression of the heatwave throughout the summer and presenting various data points (temperatures, rainfall, etc.). There is no apparent framing bias favoring a particular side of the issue.
Language Bias
The language used is largely neutral and objective. The article uses precise figures and data from reputable sources (Met Office, WWA). While terms like "scorching heat" and "record-breaking" are used, they are descriptive and accurate, not overly dramatic or sensationalized. The use of quotes from climate scientists adds objectivity. There is no obvious use of loaded language or emotional appeals.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses primarily on the UK's experience. While it mentions the World Weather Attribution study looking at southeastern England's heat, a broader global context or comparison with heatwaves in other regions is missing. The impact on specific socioeconomic groups might also be worth exploring further. The article's scope could be expanded to include the economic costs associated with the heatwave or detailed analysis of government responses to water scarcity. However, these omissions are likely due to space constraints and the article's main focus on the UK's record-breaking temperatures and their link to climate change.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article highlights the UK's hottest summer on record, directly linked to climate change. The record-breaking temperatures, increased frequency of heatwaves (70 times more likely due to human emissions), and resulting impacts like water scarcity and crop losses clearly demonstrate the negative impacts of climate change and its effects on achieving climate action goals. Specific quotes illustrate the increased probability of extreme heat events and the severity of the consequences.