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Hottest May Day Record Broken as London Area Hits 33.5C
The Met Office said 33.5C at Heathrow beat the previous May mark by 1.3C as an amber health alert remained in place.
On Monday, the Met Office recorded 33.5°C at Heathrow, shattering the all-time May temperature record by 1.3 degrees from 1922 and 1944, as record highs swept the United Kingdom and France.
A heat dome of warm air from northern Africa trapped under a high-pressure system over western Europe created conditions not typically seen until high summer, with climate change amplifying the intensity according to meteorologist Greg Dewhurst.
Heatwave conditions were met across eight English locations on Sunday including Heathrow, Benson, Brooms Barn, High Beech, Kew Gardens, Northolt, Santon Downham and Writtle, while Kew Gardens reached 32.3°C and the UK recorded its warmest May night in 81 years.
The UK Health Security Agency issued its first amber health alert of 2026 on Friday, while South East Water apologized after about 502 customers in Kent and Sussex experienced outages, and the AA warned vehicle interiors can reach 60°C on 27°C days.
Climate models predict 'more extreme heat, more extreme weather events' as climate change continues, with Spain expected to peak at 38°C this week and Italy restricting outdoor work, demonstrating persistent anomalous temperatures across Europe.
France and Britain are reporting record high daily temperatures for May. France recorded its hottest day in May on Saturday, while much of England is under yellow weather warning for high temperatures. London's Heathrow Airport recorded a record high of 33.5 degrees Celsius for May.
Historical Heat Day for the United Kingdom: At Heathrow Airport, the thermometer rose to 33.5 degrees Celsius on Monday. Meteorologists speak of an exceptional weather situation.