Climate risk in Oxfordshire

The average surface temperature in the UK has already risen by 1.2 Celsius since pre-industrial times, and efforts are underway to limit global average warming to below 1.5 Celsius. Even if this target is achieved, Oxfordshire can still expect to experience significant changes to its climate.

The Met Office climate projections show an increased likelihood of:

• warmer, wetter winters 
• hotter, drier summers 
• increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather.

Climate change has already resulted in an increase in severe weather patterns in Oxfordshire in a number of ways: 

• In July 2022, Oxfordshire experienced record-breaking maximum temperatures of 38.1 °C 
• 2025 was the hottest year on record to date.
• September 2024 was Oxford’s wettest month since 1774.
• The first seven months of 2025 were the driest months in Oxfordshire since 1976.

As the lead local flood authority and responsible for a wide range of emergency planning functions, Oxfordshire County Council is actively working with partners across Oxfordshire to identify areas of vulnerability to a changing climate and to take steps to enable Oxfordshire to be more climate resilient.

Climate change will increasingly impact Oxfordshire across a broad range of areas, including the built environment, infrastructure, the natural environment, communities, business and industry.  Severe and/or prolonged weather events can disrupt transport networks, utilities, and supply chains; damage property and infrastructure; and create sustained surges in demand for council services, particularly in flood-affected and vulnerable communities.  

Our strategic risk register

Climate Risk is recognised as a risk to Oxfordshire County Council’s operations and is included on our Strategic Risk Register.

We are implementing a number of risk control measures to limit the impact of climate change on Oxfordshire County Council and the County as a whole. Some of the risk control measures being implemented include:

• Working with stakeholders to implement the actions in the Oxfordshire Climate Adaptation Route Map 
• Business continuity planning 
• Supporting communities to develop Community Emergency Plans 
• Delivering the Heat Safe Homes project.
• Implementing the actions in the Local Flood Risk Management Strategy 
• Delivering the OCC Priority Flood Grants scheme 
• Expanding the Oxfordshire Volunteer Flood Warden Scheme

Support

There are a wide range of resources available to support residents and businesses in Oxfordshire to identify areas of vulnerability as a result of a changing climate and steps to take to build resilience.

• Am I at risk? See if your community is at risk from different types of flooding.
• Check your postcode: Is your area vulnerable to extreme heat?
• Developed through the UK Climate Resilience Programme, funded by UKRI and the Met Office, the climate risk indicators website provides information on future changes to indicators of climate risk across the UK.
• The UK Climate Impact Programme has developed an Adaptation Wizard. This is a 5-step process to help your organisation adapt to climate change. It’s also a guide to useful information, tools and resources.
• Our Tree Policy for Oxfordshire recognises trees as a critical component of the climate change adaptation infrastructure.