Asia witnessed a series of extreme weather events in 2025, including flooding, extreme heat, drought, and devastating rainfall, according to the World Meteorological Organisation's (WMO) latest 'State of Climate in Asia report 2025.'
The report found that Japan, China, and the Republic of Korea recorded their hottest summers on record, while prolonged heatwaves affected Central Asia, parts of West Asia, and the Arabian Peninsula.
As a result, all 23 monitored glaciers in high-mountain Asia lost mass, driven by above-average temperatures and below-average winter snow.
The annual mean surface air temperature over Asian land areas in 2025 ranked between the second and fourth warmest on record, with temperatures above average across most of the region, except for parts of South Asia.
The assessment also found an increase in ocean heat content, which indirectly alters storm tracks, increases ocean stratification, and can lead to changes in marine ecosystems.
Additionally, the report noted an increase in sea levels and ocean acidification, with record low pH values recorded in 2025 across the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal, and Tropical Indian Ocean.
