Earth’s average global surface temperature in 2025 was marginally higher than in 2023, with the difference so small that scientists say the two years are effectively tied.
A new analysis by NASA also confirms that 2024 now stands as the hottest year in the modern temperature record, which dates back to 1880. While 2025 did not surpass 2024, scientists stress that it remains firmly embedded in the long-term global warming trend. Average temperatures in 2025 were well above mid-20th century levels, reflecting persistent, widespread warming across both land and ocean surfaces.
According to a report released by NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), Earth’s average surface temperature in 2025 was 2.14 degrees Fahrenheit (1.19 degrees Celsius) warmer than the 1951–1980 baseline period. The findings are based on one of the most extensive climate datasets ever assembled.
The analysis incorporates air temperature data from more than 25,000 weather stations worldwide, along with sea surface temperature measurements collected by ships and ocean buoys. Observations from Antarctic research stations were also included to ensure comprehensive global coverage, particularly in remote regions.
NASA scientists said advanced analytical techniques were used to correct for changes in weather station locations over time and to minimise the influence of urban heat effects, which can skew long-term temperature trends.
Independent assessments by other leading climate agencies — including the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Berkeley Earth, the UK Met Office’s Hadley Centre, and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service — also rank 2025 among the three hottest years on record, despite differences in methodology.
Scientists say the consistency across multiple datasets reinforces the conclusion that Earth is experiencing a sustained and accelerating warming trend.
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