Overview
- Provisional Met Office data show 1,622 sunshine hours by 15 December, surpassing the 2003 record of 1,587 for a full year.
- England set a national record for sunshine, with Scotland second-sunniest and Wales sixth, while Northern Ireland may still enter its top 10 by year-end.
- The bright conditions powered new solar milestones, including a 14GW output peak on 8 July and double-digit shares of demand from April to August.
- The clear spells contributed to the warmest spring and the hottest summer on record in the UK, based on mean temperatures.
- Scientists note the UK has brightened since the 1980s, with causes uncertain and reduced aerosols a possible factor, as the Met Office plans further updates on 2025 temperature and rainfall rankings.