Britain has baked through a record-breaking spring, with temperatures in parts of London soaring to 34.8C — the highest meteorological spring figure ever recorded in the UK.
The provisional reading, logged at Kew Gardens in south-west London, eclipsed the previous May high of 32.8C set in 1922 and matched again in 1944, according to the UK Met Office.
Such milestones are often nudged upward by only fractions of a degree.
But this spike has been anything but marginal: senior meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said much of the UK is running 10C to 15C above average.
If the Kew Gardens temperature is confirmed, it would mean seven of the country’s 12 monthly temperature records have been set since 2003, the Met Office noted.
Forecasters said today’s heat pushed past the old May benchmark at 12 sites spanning Suffolk, Berkshire and Warwickshire.
A previous Met Office study found that surpassing the May record “is around three times more likely now in our current climate than it would have been in a natural climate not impacted by greenhouse gas emissions.”
That shift effectively turns what was once considered a one-in-a-hundred-year event into a one-in-33-year event, it said.
With heatwaves persisting, parts of central and southern England are forecast to hit 33C or even 35C tomorrow.
The contrast with last week has been stark: Scotland dipped to -5C overnight, while daytime temperatures more broadly topped out around 14C to 15C.
“We see these changes happening so much more dramatically,” Mr Dewhurst said, arguing that climate change is lifting temperatures.
“In the past, heatwaves built and built and built and built over days and days and days – these now just develop so quickly.
“It’s huge sort of swinging temperatures, and obviously records being broken by day and by night, so it just shows sort of how extreme the weather can change, and how quickly it can change, as well.”
An amber health warning has been issued by the UKHSA as a result of the heat
He added that, because of climate change, meteorological models are pointing to “more extreme heat, more extreme weather events” alongside “hotter, drier summers – wetter, windier winters”.
As the bank holiday weekend heat bites, South East Water apologised and distributed bottled water after about 502 customers reported problems such as outages and low pressure.
The spell has also delivered a new warmest May night: yesterday, temperatures at Kenley Airfield in Surrey did not drop below 19.4C.
The previous record for May was 18.9C, set in 1944.
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The May high record was surpassed in: Heathrow, Greater London (34.4C); Northolt, Greater London (34.2C); Teddington Bushy Park, Middlesex (34C); Benson, Oxfordshire (33.6C); Wisley, Surrey (33.3C); Reading University, Berkshire (33.2C); Wellesbourne, Warwickshire (33.2C); Cippenham, Berkshire (33.0C); Brize Norton, Oxfordshire (32.9C); Charlwood, Surrey (32.9C); Houghton Hall, Norfolk (32.9C) and Santon Downham, Suffolk (32.9C).
It was matched at Marham, Norfolk and Woburn, Bedfordshire.
“This heat would be exceptional in the UK even in mid-summer, let alone in May,” the Met Office said.
Some showers could reach eastern Scotland tomorrow, but for most places the heat is expected to hold.
Forecasters said the day’s warmth could trigger thunderstorms in parts of England tomorrow evening.
Temperatures are expected to begin easing gradually from midweek, though conditions should stay largely dry with sunny spells.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued its first amber health alert of 2026 on Friday, warning that there is a risk of a significant impact across health and social care services. The alert will remain in place until Wednesday.
Swimmers at Shadwell Basin in Wapping
Alongside the health warning, the AA cautioned that a vehicle’s interior can climb to 60C when the outside temperature is 27C.
The breakdown service advised drivers to take breaks about every two hours, avoid travelling during the hottest parts of the day, and carry water and snacks.
“Drivers should never leave children, vulnerable passengers or pets inside a parked vehicle, even for a short time,” it said.
The AA also warned that hot weather increases the likelihood of blowouts from damaged or poorly inflated tyres and can put extra pressure on coolant systems, urging motorists to check both.
