The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has extended an amber health warning for several regions in England until 5pm on Thursday, as temperatures are forecast to reach 35C on Tuesday, potentially breaking May records. The warning covers the south-west, south-east, London, East and West Midlands, and the west of England, with yellow alerts for the north-west and north-east.
The UK experienced a 'tropical night' on Monday, with temperatures not falling below 21.3C at Kenley airfield in south London, breaking the record for the highest daily minimum temperature in May for the second consecutive day. Monday also saw the provisional hottest meteorological spring temperature in UK history, with Kew Gardens in south-west London reaching 34.8C, surpassing the previous May peak of 32.8C set in 1922 and 1944.
Thunderstorm warnings have been issued for parts of the south-west, West Midlands, East Midlands, and east of England between 3pm and 10pm on Tuesday, which could reduce the heat. Isolated thunderstorms with lightning, hail, and gusty winds are expected, with up to 30mm of rain in less than an hour.
Firefighters tackled a grass fire near Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh on Monday night as temperatures hit 25C. A 13-year-old boy died after getting into difficulty in a West Yorkshire reservoir. The Met Office said 12 locations broke records on Monday, and 97 monitoring sites reached or surpassed 30C.
Temperatures are expected to gradually decline from midweek but will remain in the high 20s with dry, sunny spells. The heatwave has been linked to the climate crisis, with senior forecaster Greg Dewhurst noting that heatwaves now develop more quickly than in the past.
