London: Britain might be known for its damp and grey climate, but it recorded its sunniest year on record in 2025, meteorologists announced on Wednesday. The country notched an average of 1,622 hours of sunshine up to 15th December, beating the previous record set in 2003, the Met Office said. According to Emirates News Agency, an "exceptional" amount of sunshine during the spring followed by long spells of clear skies during the summer helped set the record, the weather agency added. It attributed the sunshine to the "frequent influence of high pressure that reduced cloud cover and brought sunny skies for many." The lengthy periods of clear skies contributed towards Britain experiencing its hottest summer on record this year. The Met Office noted in September that the mean temperature in the summer months was 16.10°C, surpassing the previous record of 15.76°C set in 2018. Scientists have consistently warned that human-driven climate change is resulting in more frequent and intense weather events worldwide . However, the Met Office stated in Wednesday's announcement that "climate projections currently show no definitive evidence of a future trend in sunshine amounts due to climate change." The agency also observed that the UK has generally become sunnier since the 1980s, but added that "the cause of this trend is uncertain." It suggested that natural variability or reduced aerosols could be factors. It also noted the contrast with 2024, which had been the dullest year for sunshine since 1998.