Hottest May day record broken as London area hits 33.5C

The UK shattered its all-time May temperature record on Sunday, with Heathrow in London reaching 33.5C—the highest temperature ever recorded in May. The Met Office confirmed the record shortly after 1pm, noting that such extreme jumps in temperature are increasingly common due to climate change. Kew Gardens in southwest London also hit 32.3C, while the UK experienced its warmest night in 81 years, with temperatures failing to drop below 19.4C at Kenley Airfield, Surrey. The previous May record was 18.9C, set in 1944, but Sunday’s temperatures were closer to late June or July averages. The Met Office reported heatwave conditions across eight English locations, including Heathrow, Benson in Oxfordshire, and Brooms Barn in Suffolk, while Wales and Northern Ireland also saw record-breaking highs of 27.4C in Cardiff and 23.4C in Armagh. Forecasts warn of even hotter conditions on Monday and Tuesday, with parts of the UK potentially reaching 34C or 35C—temperatures comparable to cities like Lagos, Cairo, and Ho Chi Minh City. Senior meteorologist Greg Dewhurst stated that climate change is accelerating extreme weather, causing rapid temperature swings and more frequent record-breaking events. The UK Health Security Agency issued an amber health alert, signaling a risk of significant health impacts from the prolonged heat. South East Water apologized for water supply issues affecting around 502 customers in Kent and Sussex, attributing the outages to increased demand during the heatwave. The company’s incident manager, Steve Benton, emphasized efforts to restore service quickly while noting higher-than-usual water usage. Meanwhile, most of the UK is expected to experience unbroken sunshine, with temperatures in the high 20s to low 30s Celsius, though thunderstorms may develop in parts of England by Tuesday evening. Cooler conditions are anticipated midweek, with temperatures dropping slightly to around 30C by Wednesday and Thursday, though remaining dry in most areas. The Met Office warned that while the heat may ease, the trend toward hotter, drier summers and wetter winters is expected to continue due to climate change.