Britain has recorded its hottest summer since records began, according to the Met Office.
Temperatures have averaged 16.10C throughout June, July and August, according to the data released today.
The provisional figure surpasses the previous record of 15.76C from 2018, marking another milestone in the nation's warming climate.
This unprecedented heat follows directly after the UK's warmest spring on record, creating months of sustained high temperatures across the country.
The Met Office, which has collected temperature data since 1884, confirmed the new record represents a significant jump from previous highs.
The prolonged heat and dryness have severely affected Britain's environment and farming sector, resulting in widespread water restrictions and agricultural challenges.
Hosepipe bans have been implemented across multiple regions, whilst drought orders have been issued to manage dwindling water supplies.
Farmers have reported significant crop failures, with harvests falling well below expectations due to the extreme conditions.
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Britain has recorded its hottest summer since records began, according to the Met Office
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NFU Deputy President David Exwood told GB News: "It's challenging because it means crops haven't grown. Development is slow, yields are going to be affected."
He noted that while the sunny weather has been enjoyed by Britons across the country, for farmers "planting and growth just hasn't given the results that it needed to."
Water reservoirs have dropped to critically low levels, prompting concerns about long-term supply issues.
The combination of record-breaking spring and summer temperatures has created unprecedented strain on the UK's water infrastructure and agricultural systems.
A list of the top 10 warmest UK summers since records began
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The Met Office data reveals that Britain's five hottest summers have all occurred within the past 25 years: 2025 at 16.10C, followed by 2018 (15.76C), 2006 (15.75C), 2003 (15.74C) and 2022 (15.71C).
Despite the overall record, this summer's peak temperature of 35.8C at Faversham, Kent on July 1 fell short of the 40.3C extreme recorded in July 2022.
The heat also proved less sustained than the legendary 1976 heatwave, when temperatures exceeded 32C on 16 days compared to nine days this year.
Several areas experienced heatwave conditions lasting over a fortnight during 1976, whilst this summer's four heatwaves were comparatively brief.
Despite the overall record, this summer's peak temperature of 35.8C at Faversham, Kent on July 1 fell short of the 40.3C extreme recorded in July 2022
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Met Office scientist Dr Emily Carlisle attributed the record temperatures to multiple factors: "The persistent warmth this year has been driven by a combination of factors including the domination of high-pressure systems, unusually warm seas around the UK and the dry spring soils."
She explained that these elements enabled rapid heat accumulation that persisted throughout the season, pushing both daytime highs and nighttime lows well above typical levels.
The Met Office confirmed that human-induced climate change remains a significant contributor, with Britain experiencing temperature increases of roughly 0.25C every 10 years.
Dr Mark McCarthy, the Met Office's climate attribution chief, provided stark analysis: "Our analysis shows that the summer of 2025 has been made much more likely because of the greenhouse gases humans have released since the industrial revolution."
He noted that without human influence, such extreme summers would occur approximately once every 340 years, but current conditions make them likely every five years.