UK Records Hottest May Day for Second Consecutive Day as London Exceeds 35C
The United Kingdom has registered its hottest May day for the second consecutive day, with temperatures in parts of London exceeding 35C on Tuesday. Kew Gardens in south-west London recorded a provisional temperature of 35.1C, eclipsing Monday's 34.8C record at the same location. Wales similarly broke May records for the second day, as provisional temperatures reached 32.3C at Cardiff's Bute Park, surpassing Monday's 32.2C at Hawarden Airport.
These soaring temperatures have prompted widespread disruption, notably affecting train services due to speed restrictions imposed by Network Rail. The heat can cause overhead lines to expand and rails to buckle, leading to cancellations and delays across networks including South Western Railway, LNER, Great Northern, Thameslink, and Southern. Separately, dozens of homes in Kent have experienced water outages for a third day, with South East Water attributing the shortages to "high demand during the exceptionally hot weather" and depleted reservoir levels.
Health Warnings and Tragic Incidents
Six amber heat health alerts, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), are active across much of England until Thursday. These alerts warn of significant impacts on health and social care services due to increased demand. Much of England and Wales are now officially experiencing a heatwave, defined by specific temperature thresholds maintained for three consecutive days.
The early season warmth aligns with the long-term trend of rising temperatures linked to human-caused climate change, according to meteorological assessments. However, the high temperatures are also attributed to the influence of a building area of high pressure near the UK.
Tragically, four individuals have died at swimming locations across England during the exceptionally warm spring bank holiday weekend. On Monday, a 13-year-old boy drowned in a Halifax reservoir, and a teenage girl's body was recovered from Kingsbury Water Park. Early Tuesday saw the recovery of a teenage boy's body from Rother Valley Country Park. Additionally, a man in his 60s died at Tregirls Beach, Cornwall, after entering the sea to assist relatives. The Royal Life Saving Society has cautioned against the dangers of cold shock in open water, where temperatures remain significantly lower than the air despite the heatwave.
The Met Office has also issued a yellow weather warning for isolated thunderstorms across parts of England until Tuesday evening, noting a "very low likelihood and a medium impact" for potential disruption.
