Hottest May day record broken as London area hits 33.5C
The UK has recorded its all-time hottest May temperature as a part of London hit 33.5C.
The high was at Heathrow, in the capital’s west, the Met Office said shortly after 1pm on the bank holiday.
It comes as parts of the South and South East face forecasts of 34C or 35C heat on Monday and Tuesday.
Kew Gardens, south-west London, reached 32.3C on Sunday and the UK then recorded its warmest night in 81 years.
Temperature records are usually broken by tenths of a degree, not several degrees.
Amid the weekend heat, South East Water has apologised and handed out bottled water after about 502 of its customers had issues including outages and low pressure.
Last week there were lows of minus 5C in Scotland and daytime temperatures more widely peaked at about 14C to 15C.
“We see these changes happening so much more dramatically,” senior Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said, adding that climate change is boosting the heat.
“In the past, heatwaves built and built and built and built over days and days and days – these now just develop so quickly.
“It’s huge sort of swinging temperatures, and obviously records being broken by day and by night, so it just shows sort of how extreme the weather can change, and how quickly it can change as well.”
As a result of climate change, all meteorological models are predicting “more extreme heat, more extreme weather events” and “hotter, drier summers – wetter, windier winters”, he added.
Highs expected in parts of the UK on Monday and Tuesday could top temperatures in Lagos in Nigeria, Cairo in Egypt, and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, according to the BBC.
The Met Office has said heatwave conditions were met in eight parts of England on Sunday – Heathrow in Greater London, Benson in Oxfordshire, Brooms Barn in Suffolk, High Beech in Essex, Kew Gardens in London, Northolt in London, Santon Downham in Suffolk and Writtle in Essex.
Wales and Northern Ireland also reached 2026 record temperatures of 27.4C in Cardiff and 23.4C in Armagh on Sunday.
The UK’s warmest May night was recorded on Sunday when temperatures did not fall below 19.4C at Kenley Airfield, Surrey.
The month’s previous record was 18.9C in 1944.
The heat is closer to what would be expected in late June and into July, Mr Dewhurst added.
The affected South East Water customers were in Kent and Sussex, and the company’s incident manager, Steve Benton, said: “We know water supply issues during hot weather are deeply frustrating and incredibly inconvenient, and we are working as quickly and safely as possible to resolve them.”
He added: “As a result of the recent hot weather, we’re seeing increased demand across our network and we’re having to pump far more drinking water than usual.”
Most of the UK is expected to have very hot, unbroken sunshine during the bank holiday.
Temperatures will widely reach the high 20Cs and low 30Cs, followed by a warm night.
The highest temperatures are expected in parts of the Midlands, East Anglia, London and Bristol.
Clouds are forecast in north-west Scotland but they will be cleared by outbreaks of rain, and some will drift across Northern Ireland and southern Scotland.
Tuesday might be cooler along England’s north-east coast but it will be hot again for most.
Northern Ireland and Scotland will have sunny spells too with temperatures potentially reaching 26C to 27C.
The day’s heat could spark some thunderstorms in parts of England on Tuesday evening.
Temperatures will start to gradually decline from the middle of the week but it will still be largely dry with sunny spells.
Highs on Wednesday and Thursday in England and Wales are predicted to be about 30C to 31C, dipping to about 29C to 30C on Friday.
There is a risk of a few showers at the end of each day from Wednesday onwards but most areas will be dry.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued its first amber health alert of 2026 on Friday, warning that there is a risk of a significant impact across health and social care services. The alert will remain in place until Wednesday.
The interior of vehicles can reach 60C on a day when the outside temperature is 27C, the AA said, as it warned motorists to “not to drop their guard” when setting out for half-term excursions.
The breakdown service suggested motorists should rest about every two hours, avoiding travelling over the hottest times of day and ensure water and snacks are packed.
“Drivers should never leave children, vulnerable passengers or pets inside a parked vehicle, even for a short time,” it said.
Heat increases the risk of blowing damaged or incorrectly inflated tyres and coolant systems can come under strain, the AA added as it recommended drivers check both.
The heat is considered to be dangerous for some vulnerable groups including older adults as their bodies struggle to regulate temperature.
Age UK recommended staying inside during the hottest hours of the day, between 11am and 3pm, and having regular cold baths or showers.
Published: by Radio NewsHub