UK Swelters Through Hottest May Day on Record as Temperatures Near 35°C

LONDON, May 25 (Reuters) – Britain marked its hottest May day on record Monday, as a spell of unseasonable heat pushed temperatures to 34.8 degrees Celsius (94.6 Fahrenheit) in west London’s Kew Gardens, according to the Met Office. The previous May high of 32.8°C, set in 1922 and matched in 1944, was provisionally surpassed by a wide margin.

The exceptional warmth also made it the warmest public holiday since nationwide records began in 1884, exceeding the previous August 2019 record of 33.3°C. Swimmers crowded into outdoor pools and people sought relief in public fountains across the capital and other cities, while in the Gloucestershire village of Brockworth, runners braved both the heat and a steep hill for an annual cheese-rolling contest.

“This heat would be remarkable even in the middle of summer, let alone in May,” the Met Office said in a statement. A study published last year found that the likelihood of exceeding the previous May temperature record has tripled due to human-driven greenhouse gas emissions, underscoring how climate change is already reshaping Britain’s weather patterns.

Climate scientists warn that such early-season heatwaves, though still rare, are becoming more probable as global average temperatures rise. The event has reignited debate over the country’s preparedness for extreme heat, particularly as public infrastructure — including rail networks and health services — often struggles to cope with temperatures far above seasonal norms.

While the heat is expected to ease later in the week, the Met Office has urged vulnerable groups — including the elderly and those with respiratory conditions — to take precautions. The record comes just weeks after Britain saw its warmest April in decades, raising questions about whether the country is entering a new climate regime with more frequent and intense heat events.