Average annual surface temperature in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Average annual surface temperature was 10.37 °C in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
10.37 °C
Change on year
up 2.7%
World rank
160th
of 193 countries
All-time high
10.37 °C
in 2025
All-time low
7.17 °C
in 1963
Years of data
86
1940–2025
Average annual surface temperature in United Kingdom, 1940–2025
Source: Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in °C.
Analysis
The most recent figure for average annual surface temperature in United Kingdom is 10.37 °C, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 86 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.7% on the previous year and up 9.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual surface temperature in United Kingdom peaked at 10.37 °C in 2025 and was at its lowest, 7.17 °C, in 1963.
United Kingdom ranks 160th of 193 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 86 years of available data.
Average annual surface temperature in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | °C | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 8.25 °C | — |
| 1941 | 8.15 °C | -1.3% |
| 1942 | 7.87 °C | -3.4% |
| 1943 | 8.86 °C | +12.6% |
| 1944 | 8.67 °C | -2.1% |
| 1945 | 9.4 °C | +8.3% |
| 1946 | 8.66 °C | -7.8% |
| 1947 | 8.62 °C | -0.5% |
| 1948 | 9.03 °C | +4.7% |
| 1949 | 9.48 °C | +5.0% |
| 1950 | 8.47 °C | -10.6% |
| 1951 | 8.27 °C | -2.5% |
| 1952 | 8.17 °C | -1.1% |
| 1953 | 9.03 °C | +10.5% |
| 1954 | 8.24 °C | -8.8% |
| 1955 | 8.38 °C | +1.7% |
| 1956 | 8.05 °C | -3.9% |
| 1957 | 9.08 °C | +12.9% |
| 1958 | 8.47 °C | -6.8% |
| 1959 | 9.36 °C | +10.6% |
| 1960 | 8.75 °C | -6.5% |
| 1961 | 8.95 °C | +2.2% |
| 1962 | 7.52 °C | -16.0% |
| 1963 | 7.17 °C | -4.6% |
| 1964 | 8.31 °C | +15.8% |
| 1965 | 7.7 °C | -7.3% |
| 1966 | 8.13 °C | +5.6% |
| 1967 | 8.83 °C | +8.6% |
| 1968 | 8.55 °C | -3.2% |
| 1969 | 8.47 °C | -0.9% |
| 1970 | 8.65 °C | +2.1% |
| 1971 | 9.08 °C | +5.0% |
| 1972 | 8.47 °C | -6.7% |
| 1973 | 8.72 °C | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 8.73 °C | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 9.05 °C | +3.6% |
| 1976 | 9.05 °C | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 8.61 °C | -4.9% |
| 1978 | 8.51 °C | -1.2% |
| 1979 | 7.79 °C | -8.4% |
| 1980 | 8.53 °C | +9.5% |
| 1981 | 8.4 °C | -1.6% |
| 1982 | 9.05 °C | +7.8% |
| 1983 | 9.14 °C | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 8.99 °C | -1.7% |
| 1985 | 8.14 °C | -9.4% |
| 1986 | 7.99 °C | -2.0% |
| 1987 | 8.36 °C | +4.7% |
| 1988 | 9.07 °C | +8.6% |
| 1989 | 9.6 °C | +5.8% |
| 1990 | 9.67 °C | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 8.74 °C | -9.6% |
| 1992 | 9 °C | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 8.65 °C | -3.9% |
| 1994 | 9.23 °C | +6.7% |
| 1995 | 9.51 °C | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 8.55 °C | -10.1% |
| 1997 | 9.79 °C | +14.5% |
| 1998 | 9.5 °C | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 9.69 °C | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 9.42 °C | -2.8% |
| 2001 | 9.11 °C | -3.4% |
| 2002 | 9.73 °C | +6.9% |
| 2003 | 9.74 °C | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 9.7 °C | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 9.66 °C | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 9.94 °C | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 9.81 °C | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 9.27 °C | -5.5% |
| 2009 | 9.39 °C | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 8.23 °C | -12.3% |
| 2011 | 9.88 °C | +20.0% |
| 2012 | 8.95 °C | -9.3% |
| 2013 | 8.98 °C | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 10.13 °C | +12.8% |
| 2015 | 9.44 °C | -6.8% |
| 2016 | 9.55 °C | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 9.84 °C | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 9.71 °C | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 9.69 °C | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 9.9 °C | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 9.57 °C | -3.3% |
| 2022 | 10.33 °C | +7.9% |
| 2023 | 10.25 °C | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 10.1 °C | -1.5% |
| 2025 | 10.37 °C | +2.7% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 10.37 °C is below the median for high income countries, which is 12.86 °C, 81% of the median. (65 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 10.37 °C is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 10.44 °C, 99% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 8.7 °C | 7.87 °C | 9.48 °C | 10 |
| 1950s | 8.55 °C | 8.05 °C | 9.36 °C | 10 |
| 1960s | 8.24 °C | 7.17 °C | 8.95 °C | 10 |
| 1970s | 8.67 °C | 7.79 °C | 9.08 °C | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.73 °C | 7.99 °C | 9.6 °C | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.23 °C | 8.55 °C | 9.79 °C | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.58 °C | 9.11 °C | 9.94 °C | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.44 °C | 8.23 °C | 10.13 °C | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.09 °C | 9.57 °C | 10.37 °C | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More reference data data for United Kingdom
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.97 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 10.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 15.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 59.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 5.48 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual surface temperature in United Kingdom?
- Average annual surface temperature in United Kingdom was 10.37 °C in 2025, according to Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average annual surface temperature recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 10.37 °C in 2025.
- What is the lowest average annual surface temperature recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.17 °C in 1963.
- How does United Kingdom rank for average annual surface temperature?
- United Kingdom ranks 160th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is average annual surface temperature rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average annual surface temperature. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 86 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Temperature of the air measured 2 meters above the ground, encompassing land, sea, and in-land water surfaces.