The Met Office has warned that parts of England could see temperatures of 35C on Monday, making it the hottest May day on record by a significant margin. The current May record of 32.8C is expected to be exceeded by 2.2C, a jump described as 'unprecedented' for the time of year.
Sunday was already the UK's hottest May day in at least 79 years, with Kew Gardens in west London recording 32.3C. An overnight temperature record of 19.4C was also set at Kenley in Greater London, narrowly avoiding a 'tropical night' where temperatures stay above 20C. Two tropical nights are forecast for Monday and Tuesday.
Several areas are officially in a heatwave, including Santon Downham in Suffolk, Heathrow, Kew Gardens, Northolt in London, Benson in Oxfordshire, Brooms Barn in Suffolk, and High Beach and Writtle in Essex. The Met Office spokesperson noted that records are usually broken by tenths of a degree, making this heatwave exceptional.
The climate crisis, driven by carbon pollution, is making heatwaves more intense and frequent. Europe is the fastest-warming continent, and temperatures of 30C, once rare even in summer, are becoming more common. The UK typically sees its hottest weather in late July or early August, suggesting further heat later in the year.
