Britain experienced its hottest May day on record on Monday, as temperatures climbed to nearly 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit), according to the country’s national weather service, the
Met Office.
The temperature reached 34.8C (94.6F) at Kew Gardens in west London, provisionally surpassing the previous May record of 32.8C (91F), which had stood since 1922 and was matched again in 1944. The scorching conditions also made it the hottest public holiday recorded in the UK since nationwide records began in 1884.
The heatwave brought scenes more typical of southern Europe than Britain. Swimmers crowded open-air pools, families gathered in parks, and people cooled off in fountains across major cities. In Brockworth, south-west England, competitors continued the traditional annual cheese-rolling race despite the intense heat and steep hillside conditions.
Meteorologists described the temperatures as extraordinary for spring. “This heat would be exceptional in the UK even in midsummer, let alone in May,” the Met Office said.
Climate scientists have linked the growing frequency of extreme heat events in Britain to climate change driven by greenhouse gas emissions. A recent study cited by the Met Office found that human-caused climate change has made the chances of breaking the UK’s previous May temperature record at least three times more likely.
Britain has experienced several notable heat extremes in recent years. In July 2022, the UK recorded its hottest day ever when temperatures exceeded 40C (104F) for the first time in history, reaching 40.3C in Lincolnshire. That same summer brought widespread travel disruption, wildfires, and pressure on healthcare services. The country’s ten hottest years on record have all occurred since 2002, reflecting a clear warming trend.
Forecasters warned that hotter and drier summers could become increasingly common across the UK, raising concerns about water shortages, infrastructure strain, and health risks, particularly for older people and vulnerable communities. Photo by Gossipguy, Wikimedia commons.
