Dullest October in almost 60 years for the UK

Dullest October in Almost 60 Years for the UK

The UK experienced one of its dullest Octobers on record, with a significant shortage of sunshine, according to provisional data from the Met Office.

Weather Overview

The month began with the Met Office naming its first storm of the season, Amy. The rest of October followed a typical autumnal pattern, resulting in above-average temperatures, slightly below average rainfall, and significantly below average sunshine.

Sunshine and Regional Impact

The UK recorded just 63.3 hours of sunshine throughout October, making it the third dullest October since the Met Office began tracking sunshine in 1910. Only the years 1960 and 1968 had less sunshine during this month.

Wales and Northern Ireland experienced their second dullest October on record.
Northern Ireland was especially sun-poor, with just 41% of its average October sunshine hours.

Expert Commentary

“October 2025 has been the dullest October in almost 60 years for the UK. A week of persistent ‘anticyclonic gloom’, combined with unsettled autumnal weather and a named storm, made it only the second month this year, after February, to see below-average sunshine for the UK.” — Dr Emily Carlisle, Met Office scientist

She added that temperatures were above average but not record-breaking, and rainfall was slightly below average with notable regional differences.

Temperature Details

The UK recorded mean temperatures about 0.7°C above the long-term average for October. Scotland and Northern Ireland were slightly warmer than the rest of the UK.

Summary: October 2025 ranked among the dullest in UK weather history, marked by limited sunshine, above-average temperatures, and varied rainfall, highlighting significant regional differences.

Met Office — 2025-11-04