The UK has recorded its hottest day of 2026, with temperatures reaching 35.1°C at Heathrow and Kew Gardens in London on Tuesday, the Met Office confirmed. This marks the second consecutive day of record-breaking May heat, following Monday's provisional high of 34.8°C at Kew Gardens, which had already surpassed the previous May peak of 32.8°C set in 1922.
The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms across England on Tuesday, valid from 3pm to 10pm. Isolated storms with lightning, hail, and gusty winds could affect large areas from Bath and Reading to Lincoln and Sheffield, with potential for up to 30mm of rainfall in an hour. The UK Health Security Agency extended amber heat alerts for several regions until Thursday, while yellow alerts remain in place for the north-west and north-east.
Tragically, the heatwave has been linked to multiple water-related deaths. A 13-year-old boy died after getting into difficulty in a West Yorkshire reservoir, and a 15-year-old boy, Declan Sawyer, was found dead in Lincolnshire. In Cornwall, a man in his 60s died after attempting to rescue family members at Tregirls beach. Police also recovered the body of a 12-year-old boy who drowned in the Ribble Valley.
Monday night saw a 'tropical night' with temperatures not falling below 20°C, including 21.3°C at Kenley airfield in south London. Many areas across England and Wales have reached heatwave thresholds—defined as three consecutive days above 28°C in London and parts of Cambridgeshire. The month has also seen a record temperature range of 32.9°C, from a low of -0.1°C on 12 May to Tuesday's high.
Climate scientists warn that such extreme spring heat is a sign of climate change. Professor Friederike Otto of Imperial College London stated: 'This record-breaking heat has the fingerprints of climate change all over it. Temperatures on this scale were once exceptional even at the height of summer. The climate we are living in today is simply not the one we grew up with, and our buildings and infrastructure are woefully unprepared for what’s next.'
Temperatures are forecast to decline from midweek, but many areas will continue to experience dry and sunny conditions.
