Kerala Records 13th Warmest Year in 2025, Continues Warming Trend
February 3, 2026
Kerala’s climate remained warm in 2025, marking the 13th warmest year on record. The average land surface air temperature hit 25.82°C, which is 0.22°C above the long-period average (1991–2020). This followed 2024’s scorching year, the warmest since 1901, when temperatures were 0.99°C above normal.
Unlike the persistent heat of 2024, 2025 had varied seasonal temperatures. Winter was notably warm, with a +0.63°C anomaly, ranking as the fifth warmest winter on record. Other seasons stayed close to typical levels. Annual maximum and minimum temperatures were also above normal by 0.13°C and 0.31°C, ranking 14th and 10th warmest respectively since 1901.
The report from the Institute for Climate Change Studies notes a steady warming trend. Eight of the ten warmest years occurred in the last decade (2016–2025), making it the warmest decade ever. Kerala’s annual mean temperature has grown by about 1.15°C per 100 years. Maximum temperatures rose faster than minimum temperatures, increasing by 1.77°C per 100 years compared to 0.53°C for minimums. Since the late 1980s, maximum temperatures exceeded minimums, causing greater daily temperature swings.
Rainfall totaled 2,925.7 mm in 2025, 1.2% above the long-term average (1971–2020). However, monsoon rains dropped sharply, with a 13% shortfall in the southwest monsoon and 21% in the northeast monsoon. This drop matches a century-long decline.
Kerala’s coastal waters stayed warmer than usual too. The mean sea surface temperature was 0.47°C above normal in the north and 0.42°C in the south. Though cooler than 2024’s record warmth, ocean warming continues long-term.
These trends underline ongoing climate changes affecting Kerala’s environment and weather patterns.
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Tags:
Kerala
Temperature
Climate change
Rainfall
Sea Surface Temperature
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