Kerala experienced its 13th warmest year on record in 2025, with the annual mean land surface air temperature reaching 25.82°C, about 0.22°C above the Long Period Average (LPA, 1991–2020).
According to the Statement on Climate for the State of Kerala: 2025, released by the Institute for Climate Change Studies, Kottayam, under the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, temperatures remained higher than normal, though the year was significantly cooler than 2024 – the warmest year on record for the State since observations began in 1901. In 2024, the annual mean temperature was 0.99°C above normal.
2025 bids adieu with fond memories of seasonal weather in Kerala
Unlike 2024, which saw “consistent record-breaking” heat, 2025 was characterised by mixed seasonal temperature patterns. The winter season was notably warmer than average, with a temperature anomaly of +0.63°C, ranking as the fifth warmest winter on record. Other seasons remained close to their respective LPAs. The State’s annual mean maximum and minimum temperatures were above normal by 0.13°C and 0.31°C, ranking as the 14th and 10th warmest, respectively, since 1901.
The broader trend points to persistent warming. The report notes that eight of the 10 warmest years on record have occurred during the recent decade (2016–2025), making it the warmest decade on record. The annual mean temperature during 2011–2020 was 0.35°C above normal, increasing further to 0.56°C during 2016–2025. Over the period from 1901 to 2025, Kerala’s annual mean temperature has risen at a rate of about 1.15°C per 100 years.
