Global warming has long been associated with warmer, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers in the UK.
Predictions made in the 1970s and 1980s are now becoming increasingly visible, but the term “global warming” itself can be misleading.
Rather than a gradual and predictable rise in temperatures, the UK is now experiencing increasingly erratic and extreme weather patterns, underpinned by a higher baseline in both ambient and sea temperatures.
Climate change becoming more apparent
Climate change is now widely recognised as a significant and visible challenge across the UK.
Spring and Summer 2025 were identified among the warmest on record, while Autumn temperatures also remained above average.
In fact, the last three years all fall within the five hottest years recorded in the UK.
At the same time, rainfall patterns have become increasingly uneven. Winters throughout the 21st century have generally become wetter, with Autumn 2023 to Spring 2024 recorded as the wettest period on record.
November 2025 also saw rainfall levels approximately 31% above average across England and Wales.
These increasingly unpredictable conditions are placing additional pressure on the UK’s already stretched water infrastructure.
Reservoir pressures and long-term supply concern
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