Zain Ali Khan
The UK is experiencing one of its hottest May periods in decades, with temperatures soaring above 32°C during the late May Bank Holiday last Monday. According to the Met Office and multiple news reports, Sunday 24 May 2026 became the hottest May day in nearly 80 years.
Temperatures reached 32.3°C at Kew Gardens, with several areas in southern and eastern England officially entering heatwave conditions. Forecasters warned temperatures could climb even higher potentially 33°C to 35°C threatening the UK’s all-time May temperature record of 32.8°C set in 1922 and matched in 1944. The Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency issued amber heat-health alerts for much of England due to risks for older adults and vulnerable people.
Beaches, parks, and holiday destinations across the UK were crowded as people took advantage of the unusually hot weather. Climate scientists noted that climate change has made extreme May heat events in Britain significantly more likely than before the Industrial Revolution.
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