The United Kingdom is bracing for a scorching May Bank Holiday Monday, with temperatures expected to reach a sweltering 31 degrees Celsius in some areas. The Met Office has forecast that Monday will be the hottest day of the year so far, surpassing the previous record of 26.6C set at Kew Gardens on April 8.
Bank Holiday Weekend Weather Overview
The national weather service predicts a very warm bank holiday weekend with plenty of sunshine and light winds. Monday is expected to be warm and dry for most, with London potentially hitting highs of 31C. Southern England is likely to see temperatures in the high 20s, while many other regions will enjoy similarly pleasant conditions.
Counties Set to Reach 26C or Higher
Weather maps from WXCharts, utilising MetDesk data, indicate that at least 56 counties could bask in temperatures of 26C or above by 6pm on Monday evening. These include:
- England: Tyne and Wear, County Durham, Lancashire, Merseyside, Cheshire, North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, West Sussex, Greater London, City of London, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset, Bristol
- Wales: Brecknockshire, Caernarfonshire, Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire, Clwyd, Denbighshire, Dyfed, Flintshire, Glamorgan, Gwent, Gwynedd, Merionethshire, Monmouthshire, Montgomeryshire, Pembrokeshire, Radnorshire
- Scotland: Aberdeenshire, Lothian, Scottish Borders
Regional Variations and Cooler Areas
While much of England and Wales will enjoy the warmer weather, some exposed coastal areas are expected to be slightly cooler. This includes parts of south-west England, sections of the south-east coast, and areas of Cumbria and Yorkshire in the north. Northern Ireland could see highs of 25C, while only a handful of Scottish regions are expected to reach similar temperatures.
Met Office Outlook
In its forecast for Friday to Sunday, the Met Office states: "Very warm over the Bank Holiday weekend with plenty of sunshine and light winds. However, some heavy, thundery showers are possible on Saturday and some rain in the northwest."
The long-range forecast from Monday, May 25, to Wednesday, June 3, indicates that high pressure is expected to remain in place for much of the UK, meaning fine weather is likely to continue for most places. Some patchy rain may affect the far north at times and perhaps a few showers in the far south. Temperatures are expected to be above normal, feeling very warm at times with light winds.
