The United Kingdom is on track to record its hottest day ever in May, according to the national weather agency, as an intense heatwave continues to grip the country.
The Met Office projected that temperatures could reach as high as 35°C on Monday, potentially surpassing previous May records.
In a statement shared on social media, the agency said, “Today will be the hottest day in May in the UK in our temperature records, with highs of 35 degrees Celsius expected.”
The current highest May temperature record stands at 32.8°C, first recorded in 1922 and matched again in 1944.
The Met Office noted that such a significant jump in temperature records is unusual and highlights the severity of the ongoing heatwave.
“Records are usually only broken by tenths of a degree — making this heatwave unprecedented for the time of year,” the agency added.
Meteorologist Tom Morgan of the Met Office described the situation as exceptional, noting that such high temperatures are rarely experienced even during peak summer months.
“We rarely see temperatures above 35°C, even in the summer months, so to see temperatures getting close to 35°C in May is, as I say, pretty historic,” Morgan said.
The heatwave is also expected to make Monday the hottest bank holiday on record, with southern parts of England, including London, experiencing rising temperatures since Sunday night.
Residents across affected areas expressed mixed reactions, with some raising concerns about the broader implications of rising global temperatures.
“I am worried about it because it obviously shows that global warming is happening,” said Andrea Quaine, a London resident, as temperatures surpassed 30°C.
Another visitor, 10-year-old Liza Nizari, described the weather as extremely uncomfortable.
“The weather here, it’s like a mini version of hell. It’s boiling. It’s like really hot,” she said.
Climate experts have linked the increasing frequency of extreme weather events to human-induced climate change, warning that heatwaves, floods, and droughts are becoming more severe.
The UK had already recorded its hottest year in 2025, and climate advisers have cautioned that much of the country’s infrastructure is not designed for current climate realities.
They have urged the government to upgrade public systems, including schools and hospitals, to withstand rising global temperatures.
