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Hottest May day on record in UK as temperatures pass 34C
bbc.
The United Kingdom has officially set a new national record for the highest temperature ever recorded in the month of May. On Monday, weather stations at Kew Gardens in London measured a temperature of 34.8 degrees Celsius. This figure is currently provisional, meaning meteorological experts are still in the process of confirming the data. This new high significantly surpasses the previous record for a bank holiday Monday. The earlier benchmark was 33.3 degrees Celsius, which was set during an August bank holiday in 2019. This sharp increase in temperature highlights a notable and unusual shift in seasonal weather patterns across the country.
Wales also experienced its hottest May day on record. At Hawarden Airport in Flintshire, the temperature reached 32.2 degrees Celsius. Weather experts note that this level of heat is highly unusual for this time of year. The Met Office, which is the national weather service for the UK, stated that such extreme heat would be exceptional even in mid-summer, let alone in May. Forecasters warned that the mercury is expected to rise even higher in the coming days. Some parts of England could see temperatures reach 35 degrees Celsius.
The extreme heatwave began with the warmest May night on record. This occurred on Sunday, with temperatures staying as high as 19.4 degrees Celsius in London. According to the Met Office, the weather patterns of this week have contributed to seven out of twelve monthly record highs being set since 2003. This accounts for more than half of the recent monthly temperature records. Dan Suri, the chief operational meteorologist at the Met Office, explained the cause of this anomaly. He stated that the heat is due to the influence of warmth building under an area of high pressure located near the UK. For context, the average temperature at the end of May is typically between 14 and 20 degrees Celsius.
On Friday, the UK Health Security Agency issued its first amber heat health alert of 2026. This alert covers much of England, including the West Midlands, East Midlands, East of England, South East, and London. Other regions, including the North East, North West, South West, Yorkshire, and Humber, are under a yellow alert. These alerts remained in place until 17:00 BST on Wednesday. The combination of extreme heat and high water usage caused significant issues for local infrastructure. Around 500 properties in Sussex and Kent lost water supply or had intermittent service on Monday afternoon. South East Water apologized for the disruption. They stated they were working as quickly and safely as possible to resolve the problems.
The extreme weather forced the cancellation of several bank holiday events across the UK. In Surrey, the Leatherhead Lions Club canceled its annual bank holiday donkey derby. They made this decision to ensure the welfare and comfort of the animals, removing donkeys and dogs from the event. Despite these cancellations, thousands of people gathered in the intense heat. They watched competitors from around the world race down Cooper’s Hill in Brockworth for the annual Gloucestershire cheese-rolling race. German YouTuber Tom Kopke, known online as Tooleko, won the first race. He defeated local competitor and Guinness World Record holder Chris Anderson.
As the hot weather continues, forecasters predict thunderstorms for England on Tuesday evening. Temperatures are expected to hit 30 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and Thursday in England and Wales. They should dip into the high 20s by Friday. Heatwave conditions were met in eight parts of England on Sunday. These areas included Heathrow in Greater London, Benson in Oxfordshire, Brooms Barn in Suffolk, High Beech in Essex, Kew Gardens, Northolt in London, Santon Downham in Suffolk, and Writtle in Essex.
The AA, a major breakdown service, warned drivers not to drop their guard. Vehicle interiors can reach 60 degrees Celsius when parked in the sun. The AA advised that drivers should never leave children, vulnerable passengers, or pets inside a parked vehicle, even for a short time. Age UK recommended that people stay inside between 11:00 and 15:00. They also suggested taking regular cold baths and showers to stay cool.
Climate change is believed to have played a significant role in such hot spells. According to the Met Office’s State of the UK Climate report, the number of days in the UK with temperatures above 28 degrees Celsius has more than doubled. The number of days with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius has more than trebled in the most recent decade. This is compared to the average from 1961 to 1990. The Met Office also noted that Scotland and Northern Ireland recorded their highest temperatures for 2026 so far on Monday. The temperature was 25.5 degrees Celsius in Charterhall and 25.8 degrees Celsius at Derrylin in County Fermanagh.
The UK is not the only country experiencing this historic heatwave. Several European countries have broken May heat records over the last few days. In Spain, 38 degrees Celsius was recorded on Sunday. Across France and Germany, temperatures climbed into the mid-30s. Hundreds of localities in these countries broke records for May. Temperatures across France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, and northern Italy have been 10 to 15 degrees Celsius above average for late May. With the unprecedented heatwave expected to last for most of the week, it is likely that more local records will be broken. This widespread extreme weather highlights a significant shift in climate patterns across Europe.