Britain Sizzles: May Heat Record Shattered as Temperatures Near 35°C

The UK just experienced its hottest May day ever recorded, with temperatures climbing close to 35°C over the bank holiday weekend. The Met Office’s provisional data shows Heathrow hit 33.5°C on Monday lunchtime, breaking a record that had stood since 1922 and was matched in 1944. By afternoon, Kew Gardens reported 34.8°C. Across the southeast, readings topped 33°C, including 34°C in Teddington, 33.6°C in Benson, and 33.3°C in Wisley. Wales also set a new May record, with Hawarden airport reaching 32.2°C, surpassing the previous high of 30.6°C set in Newport in 1944. Scotland and Northern Ireland saw their warmest days of the year so far, though at 25.5°C and 24.6°C, they remained cooler. The heat is forecast to continue, with another possible 35°C on Tuesday, then highs of 31°C on Wednesday and 30°C on Thursday. Overnight Sunday set a new record for the UK’s highest minimum May temperature, with Kenley airfield recording a low of 19.4°C. The heatwave brought disruptions: a large grass fire broke out near Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, and about 500 homes in Sussex and Kent lost water or faced intermittent supply due to surging demand. Across Europe, eight areas were on heatwave alert, with Brittany expecting 35°C and southern France up to 37°C. Spain’s weather agency warned of “extraordinarily high temperatures” continuing all week, with tropical nights forecast in the southwest from Wednesday. While the warm weather delighted many enjoying the long weekend, experts warn it poses serious health risks. Dr. Chloe Brimicombe, a climate researcher at Oxford, called the record “a reminder of how climate change is impacting our lives in the UK” and stressed the urgency of adapting to heat. The elderly, pregnant women, and those with health conditions are especially vulnerable. Amber heat health alerts were issued Friday, signaling a possible risk to life. Heat is often called a “silent killer” because its death toll goes underreported. Last summer, scientists linked two-thirds of heat-related deaths in European cities to climate breakdown. The UK’s Climate Change Committee recently recommended installing air conditioning in all care homes and hospitals within a decade and in all schools within 25 years, and called for maximum temperature limits for indoor and outdoor work. Gareth Redmond-King of the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit noted that while cutting emissions to net zero is essential to halt climate change, adapting to our already warmer world is far cheaper than dealing with its increasingly dangerous impacts.