2025 to be among three warmest years on record: C3S
BRUSSELS: This year is virtually certain to rank among the three warmest on record, with October 2025 the third-warmest October globally, according to data released on Thursday by the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).
The average global surface air temperature in October was 15.14°C, 0.70°C above the 1991–2020 average and 1.55°C above pre‑industrial levels (1850–1900). It was 0.16°C cooler than the record October in 2023 and 0.11°C cooler than October 2024, the data showed.
The 12‑month average from November 2024 to October 2025 stood 1.50°C above pre‑industrial levels, continuing an extended spell of exceptional warmth.
C3S said that 2025 is almost certain to end as the second‑ or third‑warmest year since records began, possibly tied with 2023 and just behind 2024, the hottest year on record.
“While 2025 may not be the hottest year, it is almost certain to rank in the top three. The last three years saw exceptional temperatures, and the average for 2023–2025 is likely to exceed 1.5°C, the first time for a three‑year period,” said Samantha Burgess, Strategic Lead for Climate at C3S.
October’s global sea surface temperatures remained close to record highs, averaging 20.54°C across latitudes from 60°N to 60°S, the third‑highest on record. The North Pacific recorded extreme warmth, while cooler conditions appeared in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, indicating a transition towards weak La Niña conditions, C3S said.
In the Arctic, sea ice extent was 12% below average, ranking the eighth lowest for October, while Antarctic sea ice recorded its third‑lowest October extent, 6% below average, the data showed.
