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Britain recorded its hottest day in May on Monday, reaching 33.5°C near London, according to the national weather service. The country experienced a scorching heatwave, with temperatures exceeding the previous May high of 32.8°C, first noted in 1922 and again in 1944.
This latest temperature milestone is part of a series of climate records falling across the UK, which saw its hottest year on record in 2025. Experts warn that the nation remains ill-prepared for increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves fueled by human-caused climate change.
Earlier forecasts predicted highs of up to 35°C as heatwave conditions spread to southeastern England and London by Sunday evening. The Met Office announced that temperatures at Heathrow recently hit 33.5°C, tentatively surpassing the all-time May temperature record. They noted that such records are often only broken by small fractions of a degree, making this heatwave notably unusual for this time of year.
Monday is also anticipated to be the hottest bank holiday ever. Tom Morgan, a meteorologist at the Met Office, explained, “We rarely see temperatures above 35°C, even during summer, so approaching that in May is quite historic.” Meanwhile, London resident Andrea Quaine, 41, expressed concern, stating, “It’s clear global warming is happening, and I worry about what this means.”
Ten-year-old Liza Nizari, visiting London from Manchester, described the weather as “like a mini hell,” adding that while sunscreen helps, it’s extremely hot. Scientists emphasize that climate change is intensifying extreme weather events, leading to more frequent temperature records.
Last week, climate advisors urged the UK government to overhaul infrastructure such as schools and hospitals, warning that the country was “built for a climate that no longer exists.”
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