Greater London and the South East are bracing for historic temperatures of 34C on Monday, as the UK faces its hottest May bank holiday on record.
The extreme weather follows a scorching Sunday that marked the warmest May day for the United Kingdom in nearly eight decades.
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Heatwave Conditions Across England
According to the Met Office, eight regions across England met official heatwave conditions on Sunday.
Record highs were documented at Kew Gardens in south-west London at 32.3C, while Cardiff in Wales reached 27.4C and Armagh in Northern Ireland recorded 23.4C.
Edinburgh, Scotland, also experienced highs of 23.5C on Sunday, falling just short of its regional record.
“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,” said Tom Morgan, Meteorologist at the Met Office.
Emergency Response and Health Alerts
Amidst the surging temperatures, emergency responses were triggered across the country.
Lincolnshire Police confirmed that the body of 15-year-old Declan Sawyer was recovered from Swanholme Lakes in Lincoln after he was reported to be in trouble at 2.30pm on Sunday.
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The UK Health Security Agency issued its first amber health alert of 2026 on Friday, warning of a significant impact across health and social care services until Wednesday.
Officials noted that the heat poses specific dangers to vulnerable groups, including older adults whose bodies struggle with temperature regulation.
“We can all help older people stay safe during periods of hot weather by checking in on older relatives, friends and neighbours to see if they need anything or are struggling with the heat,” said Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK.
Age UK recommends that older individuals stay indoors between the peak hours of 11am and 3pm, alongside taking regular cold baths or showers.
“Offering to pick up shopping or medication, or even lending a fan, can make a real difference,” Abrahams added.
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While high temperatures persist across most of England on Monday, weather conditions in north-west Scotland are expected to diverge, bringing thicker clouds, damper conditions, and breezier weather.
