- Record-breaking May temperatures pushed large parts of the UK into heatwave conditions.
- Temperatures reached 35C at Heathrow and Kew Gardens in London.
- Amber heat-health alerts remain in place across several regions of England until Thursday evening.
The UK has recorded its hottest May temperature on record for the second day running, as an intense early summer heatwave pushed temperatures to 35C in parts of London and triggered fresh weather and health warnings across England.
According to the Met Office, temperatures reached 35C at both Heathrow and Kew Gardens on May 27, surpassing the previous provisional May record of 34.8C set a day earlier at Kew Gardens.
The old May temperature record of 32.8C had stood since 1922.
Large parts of England and Wales are now officially experiencing heatwave conditions after temperatures stayed above regional thresholds for several consecutive days. In London and surrounding areas, the heatwave benchmark for this time of year is 28C.
Forecasters also warned that the extreme heat could quickly give way to severe thunderstorms. The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning covering wide areas of England from Bath and Reading to Sheffield and Lincoln, warning of lightning, hail, gusty winds and sudden downpours.
Some areas could reportedly see up to 30mm of rainfall within an hour.
Heatwave stretches health services and emergency responders
The prolonged heat has already prompted extended health alerts across much of England.
The UK Health Security Agency said amber heat-health alerts for London, the South East, South West, Midlands and eastern England would remain active until 5pm on Thursday. Yellow alerts remain in place for northern regions.
Officials warned the high temperatures could place additional strain on healthcare services and create elevated risks for vulnerable people, particularly older adults and those with underlying health conditions.
The heatwave also coincided with several serious incidents over the bank holiday weekend.
West Yorkshire Police said a 13-year-old boy died after getting into difficulty in a reservoir on May 26. Separately, South Yorkshire Police confirmed the body of another boy had been recovered after he entered water at a park in Rotherham.
Meanwhile, firefighters in Edinburgh worked overnight to tackle a grass fire near Arthur’s Seat as temperatures in the city climbed to 25C.
Britain swings from frost to tropical nights
Meteorologists say the scale of temperature swings this month has been particularly unusual.
Dr Stephen Burt reportedly said May had already recorded one of the widest monthly temperature ranges ever seen in the UK. Temperatures reportedly fell to -0.1C earlier in the month before soaring above 32C less than two weeks later.
The UK also experienced what forecasters describe as a “tropical night” on May 26, meaning overnight temperatures did not fall below 20C. Kenley airfield in south London recorded a nighttime low of 21.3C.
Becky Mitchell reportedly said several areas of England would have experienced at least five consecutive days of heatwave conditions by May 28.
Scientists have increasingly linked the growing frequency of extreme heat events to climate change.
A previous Met Office study reportedly found record-breaking May temperatures are now roughly three times more likely because of greenhouse gas emissions compared with a natural climate unaffected by human activity.
Temperatures are expected to ease gradually later in the week, although many areas could still remain in the high 20s with largely dry and sunny conditions continuing across much of the country.
