May 2025 Was the Second Warmest May on Record, Exceptionally Dry

The month of May 2025 was the second warmest May ever recorded globally, with temperatures averaging 15.79°C (60.42°F), according to the European climate service Copernicus. This marks a 1.4°C increase above pre-industrial levels, highlighting the ongoing impact of climate change.

Notably, May 2025 was the first month in 22 months where global temperatures did not exceed the 1.5°C threshold above pre-industrial levels, a key benchmark set by the Paris Agreement. Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus, described this as an "unprecedented break" in a long sequence of months surpassing this limit.

In addition to the heat, May was exceptionally dry in northwestern Europe, with some regions experiencing the driest conditions since 1976. The North Atlantic Ocean also faced a marine heatwave, a phenomenon increasingly linked to climate change, with potential disruptive effects on marine ecosystems.

While temperatures in Western Europe were above average, Eastern Europe and parts of Alaska, India, and southern Africa recorded below-average temperatures. The findings underscore the uneven distribution of climate impacts across the globe.