UK set to break record for hottest May day

Britain is bracing for a record-breaking May day as an "unprecedented" heatwave pushes temperatures towards 35 degrees Celsius.

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Today will be the hottest day in May in the UK in our temperature records, with highs of 35 degrees Celsius expected.

The Met Office predicted that Monday would be the hottest day in May in the UK's recorded history, exceeding the previous record of 32.8C set in 1922 and matched in 1944. Meteorologists noted that records are typically broken by small margins, making this significant temperature jump particularly historic for the month. The heatwave is also expected to make Monday the hottest bank holiday on record.

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Records are usually only broken by tenths of a degree, making this heatwave unprecedented for the time of year.

Residents in London experienced temperatures exceeding 30C on Sunday. Andrea Quaine, a 41-year-old mother, described the heat as "much, much hotter than it should be in the UK" and expressed worry about global warming. Ten-year-old Liza Nizari, visiting London, likened the weather to "a mini version of hell," finding it intensely hot despite using sunscreen.

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We rarely see temperatures above 35C, even in the summer months, so to see temperatures getting close to 35C in May is, as I say, pretty historic.

Scientists attribute such extreme weather events to human-induced climate change, which intensifies heatwaves, droughts, and floods, leading to more frequent record-breaking temperatures. This follows Britain's hottest year on record in 2025. Climate advisers have recently warned the UK government that the nation's infrastructure is "built for a climate that no longer exists" and urged adaptation measures for a warming planet.

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I am worried about it because it obviously shows that global warming is happening.