UK beats May heat record with 33.5C registered near London

On Monday, Britain recorded its highest temperature for May, reaching 33.5C near London, as a severe heat wave settled over the region, according to the national weather agency. This new record surpasses the previous high of 32.8C, which was established in 1922 and again in 1944.

This temperature update marks the continuation of a troubling trend in the UK, which experienced its hottest year on record in 2025. Experts caution that the nation remains ill-prepared for the increasingly frequent heat waves attributed to anthropogenic climate change.

The Met Office had predicted temperatures could reach as high as 35C, as heat wave conditions spread across southeastern England and London by Sunday evening. Their social media account confirmed, "Temperatures at Heathrow have recently reached 33.5C, provisionally beating the all-time May record." They added, "Records are usually only broken by tenths of a degree—making this heat wave unprecedented for the time of year."

Furthermore, Monday is anticipated to be the hottest bank holiday ever recorded. Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan noted to the Press Association news agency, "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."

Residents are acknowledging this shift in weather patterns. Andrea Quaine, a 41-year-old mother in London, expressed concern, stating, "It's nice to have it, but it is much, much hotter than it should be in the UK," and added, "I am worried about it because it obviously shows that global warming is happening." Meanwhile, young visitor Liza Nizari from Manchester remarked, "The weather here, it's like a mini version of hell. It's boiling. It's like really hot. The sunscreen, it will protect me, but it's really hot."

Scientists have increasingly indicated that climate change driven by human activity is intensifying extreme weather events, including heat waves, droughts, and floods, resulting in more frequent temperature records being shattered. Advisers to the UK government recently cautioned that the country was "built for a climate that no longer exists" and called for the adaptation of infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, to address the realities of a warming planet.