UK Records Highest May Temperature for Second Straight Day

The Met Office confirmed the new peak after thermometers hit that mark at Heathrow and Kew Gardens. The previous record of 34.8C had been set the day before at Kew Gardens, surpassing the longstanding May high of 32.8C from 1922.

An amber health warning covering the south-west, south-east, London, East and West Midlands and the west of England was extended until 5pm on Thursday. A yellow alert for the north-west and north-east remained in place. The Met Office also issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms across England from 3pm to 10pm, citing the possibility of lightning, hail and gusty winds along with up to 30mm of rain in an hour in some areas.

Many places experienced a “tropical night” on Monday, when temperatures did not fall below 20C. Kenley Airfield in south London recorded a minimum of 21.3C. Heatwave conditions, defined as meeting or exceeding a location-specific threshold for three consecutive days, had already been met in eight parts of England by Sunday night. The highest threshold at this time of year is 28C.

Police reported two deaths over the bank holiday weekend involving boys who entered bodies of water. A 13-year-old was pronounced dead after an incident at a West Yorkshire reservoir on Monday, and the body of a second boy was recovered early Tuesday in Rotherham.

Firefighters worked through the night to tackle a grass fire near Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh while temperatures in the city reached 25C.

Burt of the University of Reading noted that May has seen a record monthly temperature range of 32.9C, from an air frost of -0.1C on 12 May to 32.8C later in the month. Temperatures are forecast to decline from the middle of the week, though many areas are still expected to reach the high 20s under largely dry conditions with sunny spells.