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UK's extreme weather is the new normal
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- The Met Office reports that what was once extreme weather is now the "new normal" in the UK, with the hottest day in southern England now 4.5°C warmer than in 1961-1990.
- The UK's climate is shifting northward, with northern regions experiencing temperatures previously typical only in southern England, while the warmest year on record was 2025.
- The number of extremely hot days and nights has more than quadrupled in Greater London since 1961-1990, causing significant strain on infrastructure like homes, schools, and hospitals.
- Heat-related deaths may have exceeded 2,700 in England and Wales during the hot weather of May and June 2025, highlighting the health risks of rising temperatures.
- Spring 2025 was exceptionally dry, with England experiencing its driest spring in over a century, and future climate projections suggest hotter, drier summers and more severe droughts despite expectations of increased winter rainfall.
