The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has extended an amber health warning by 24 hours for several regions in England as temperatures are forecast to reach 35C on Tuesday, potentially making it the hottest May day on record. The alert, now in place until 5pm Thursday, covers the south-west, south-east, London, East and West Midlands, and the west of England. Yellow alerts remain for the north-west and north-east.
However, the heat may be tempered by thunderstorms expected in parts of the south-west, West Midlands, East Midlands, and east of England between 3pm and 10pm on Tuesday. The Met Office warns of isolated thunderstorms with lightning, hail, and gusty winds, with up to 30mm of rain possible in less than an hour.
Monday saw a 'tropical night' as the record for the highest daily minimum temperature in May was broken for the second consecutive day. Temperatures at Kenley airfield in south London did not fall below 21.3C. The UK also recorded its provisional hottest meteorological spring temperature, with Kew Gardens hitting 34.8C, surpassing the previous May peak of 32.8C set in 1922 and 1944.
Met Office senior forecaster Greg Dewhurst noted that heatwaves are developing more quickly now, attributing the trend to the climate crisis. Firefighters tackled a grass fire near Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, and a 13-year-old boy died after getting into difficulty in a West Yorkshire reservoir.
Temperatures are expected to gradually decline from midweek but remain in the high 20s, with dry, sunny spells. The heatwave continues across Europe, with Spain and France likely to see new highs.
