Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleA veil of smoke hangs over the Manchester City skyline during the UK heatwave (Getty)The Met Office's annual climate report for 2025 declared that the UK's 20th-century climate is “now gone”, with extreme conditions increasingly becoming the norm. 2025 was recorded as the UK's warmest year since records began in 1884, marking the sixth time this record has been broken in the 21st century. The report highlights escalating temperatures, a surge in extreme heat events, marine heatwaves, and rapidly rising sea levels, all impacting the natural environment. The UK's climate is “on the move”, with warmer conditions migrating northwards and uphill, leading to a quadrupling of days over 30C in areas like Greater London since the late 20th century. Sea levels around the UK have risen by approximately 20.1cm since 1901, with the rate of increase accelerating, posing significant risks during storm surges. In fullUK’s 20th century climate ‘now gone’ amid warning extreme temperatures are new normalMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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The UK climate is profoundly different compared to typical British weather last century, with constantly rising temperatures and frequent extreme events, the nation's…