Copernicus: Exceptionally dry spring in parts of north-western Europe – Second-warmest May globally

May 2025 – Surface air temperature and sea surface temperature highlights:

Global Temperatures 

·       May 2025 was the second-warmest May globally, with an average ERA5 surface air temperature of 15.79°C, 0.53°C above the 1991-2020 average for May.

·       May 2025 was 0.12°C cooler than the record May of 2024, and 0.06°C warmer than the third warmest of 2020.

·       May 2025 was 1.40°C above the estimated 1850-1900 average used to define the pre-industrial level, interrupting an extended period of 21 months (out of 22) with a global-average temperature more than 1.5°C above the pre-industrial level. *

·       The 12-month period of June 2024 – May 2025 was 0.69°C above the 1991-2020 average, and 1.57°C above the pre-industrial levels