May 2025 was second-warmest on record amid worsening drought in Europe

May 2025 was second-warmest on record amid worsening drought in Europe
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May 2025 was the second-warmest May on record globally, with Europe experiencing severe drought conditions, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). The global average surface air temperature reached 15.79°C, 0.53°C above the 1991–2020 average and 1.4°C above pre-industrial levels.

This ended a 21-month streak where global temperatures exceeded the 1.5°C threshold set by the 2015 Paris Agreement. While this brief drop offers little relief, scientists warn that the threshold is likely to be surpassed again soon. Across north-western Europe, including the UK, rainfall has been scarce, leading to water shortages and crop concerns.

May also brought below-average precipitation to parts of North America, central Asia, southern Africa, and Australia. Soil moisture in some European regions hit record lows since 1979. Additionally, sea surface temperatures in the north-eastern Atlantic reached their highest levels on record, underscoring continued climate system warming.