London set for more heat after record-breaking 34.8C May bank holiday

London experienced its hottest May day on record on Monday, with temperatures at Kew Gardens reaching 34.8C, surpassing the previous high of 33.3C set in August 2019. This marks the third consecutive day of temperatures at or above 28C in the capital, signaling the start of a heatwave. The extreme heat is expected to continue into Tuesday, with parts of central and southern England potentially hitting 35C, before cooling slightly to 24C by Wednesday. Amber heat health alerts remain in place for London, the South East, East Midlands, and West Midlands until 5pm Wednesday. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warns of a rise in deaths among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions, along with increased demand on health and social care services. The provisional reading at Kew Gardens also broke the highest May temperature recorded since 1922, with the Met Office confirming the record. The current heatwave is 10C to 15C above average for the UK, according to Met Office senior meteorologist Greg Dewhurst. He noted that climate change has made such extreme temperatures three times more likely than in a natural climate, reducing the likelihood of such events from once-in-a-century occurrences to once-in-33-year events. Dewhurst highlighted how heatwaves now develop rapidly, with extreme temperature swings breaking records by day and night. Twelve locations across England, from Suffolk to Berkshire, recorded new highs on Monday. The Met Office predicts more extreme heat and weather events in the future, including hotter, drier summers and wetter, windier winters. Dewhurst emphasized the accelerating pace of climate change, stating that these shifts are happening far more dramatically than in the past.