Mild Start to November Breaks Temperature Records in the UK
The beginning of November 2025 has seen an extraordinary series of new daily minimum temperature records across the UK, with numerous weather stations reporting unusual warmth. This continued a trend from an October that was already warmer than usual, reflecting significant changes in the meteorological conditions.
October 2025 Warmth Sets the Scene
In October 2025, the mean temperature was provisionally 0.7°C above the 1991–2020 average. Scotland and Northern Ireland experienced slightly higher temperatures compared to other regions in the UK. This warm backdrop helped pave the way for November’s record-breaking overnight temperatures.
Warm Air and Cloud Cover Trap Heat Overnight
As November started, warm air flowing from the south across the UK, combined with cloudy skies, created conditions that trapped heat during the night. This led to exceptionally high daily minimum temperatures, which measure the lowest temperature recorded over a 24-hour period from 09:00 UTC to 09:00 UTC, typically occurring in the early morning hours.
Bonfire Night 2025 Temperature Record
“Temperatures overnight only dropped to 14.4℃ at Teddington in London, provisionally making it the mildest Bonfire Night on record.”
The previous record for the night of 5th–6th November was 13.9℃ at Gordon Castle, Scotland, in 1938.
Summary
The mild start to November 2025 reflects broader warming trends, marked by new temperature records driven by warm air flows and cloud cover that preserve overnight heat.