UK breaks May temperature record amid intense heatwave

Britain recorded its hottest May day on Monday, with temperatures soaring to 33.5°C near London during an intense heatwave. According to the country’s national weather service, the previous May temperature record of 32.8°C had stood since 1922 and was matched again in 1944. The latest spike adds to a series of climate-related records in the UK, which experienced its warmest year ever in 2025. Scientists have repeatedly warned that the country is ill-prepared for increasingly frequent and severe heatwaves linked to human-driven climate change. The Met Office had predicted temperatures could climb as high as 35°C after heatwave conditions spread across parts of southeast England and London by Sunday evening. In a post on social media, the agency said temperatures recorded at Heathrow had “provisionally” surpassed the previous all-time May record. The weather authority noted that records are usually broken by only small margins, describing the current heatwave as highly unusual for this time of year. Climate experts say rising global temperatures caused by human activity are increasing the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, including heatwaves, floods and droughts. Last week, climate advisers warned the British government that the country’s infrastructure was designed for a climate that no longer exists, urging authorities to adapt schools, hospitals and other public facilities to cope with a hotter future.