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UK heatwave expected as temperatures near record highs for May
TL;DR
A heatwave is expected in the UK, with temperatures nearing May records. Highs of 31C are predicted for Sunday, potentially reaching 34C on Monday.
Key points
- Heatwave expected in parts of the UK on Sunday
- Temperatures reached 28C for three consecutive days
- Highest temperature of 30.5C recorded in Kent
- Predicted highs of 31C on Sunday and 33C-34C on Monday
- Climate crisis increasing likelihood of extreme heat
A heatwave is expected to be declared in parts of the UK on Sunday, with temperatures nearing May records.
The Met Office said readings at Heathrow at midday on Sunday showed temperatures had reached 28C (82F) across three consecutive days – the threshold for declaring a heatwave.
A temperature of 30.5C (86.9F) was recorded at Frittenden in Kent on Saturday – the highest of the year so far.
Temperatures are expected to rise again on Sunday, with highs of 31C predicted in the south-east, and further on Monday, when peaks of between 33C and 34C are possible.
The climate crisis is increasing the likelihood of extreme heat. Large parts of western Europe are experiencing similar peaks, with Météo-France, the French national weather forecaster, warning periods of exceptional heat are expected to come “more and more often and more and more prematurely, and to be more and more intense”.
A Met Office spokesperson said: “Breaking the 32.8C May record is around three times more likely now in our current climate than it would have been in natural climate conditions before the Industrial Revolution.
“What was around a one-in-100-year event is now around a one-in-33-year event.”
Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said there will be “plentiful amounts of sunshine” in many parts of the UK on Sunday, bringing temperatures upwards of 30C.
“If we hit that 33C, maybe even locally close towards 34C, that would bring us our hottest bank holiday day on record, as well as our hottest day in May on record,” Vautrey said. “So it really is quite exceptional heat that is building for the time of year.”
The criteria for a heatwave are set by the Met Office. One is declared when temperatures reach or exceed 28C in London and its surrounding counties on at least three consecutive days.
For many other areas of England, as well as south-east Wales, it is 26C or 27C. The threshold is 25C for Scotland, Northern Ireland, much of Wales and northern England.
Saturday was the UK’s first 30C day of the year, with 23 May being the earliest date 30C was reached since 1952.
Given the hot weather, cricket ground Lord’s has relaxed its strict dress code in its pavilion. The Marylebone Cricket Club usually requires spectators in the pavilion to wear lounge suits or tailored jackets and ties, but that has been eased.
Q&A
What temperatures are expected during the UK heatwave?
Temperatures are expected to reach highs of 31C on Sunday and between 33C and 34C on Monday.
What is the threshold for declaring a heatwave in the UK?
The threshold for declaring a heatwave in the UK is three consecutive days of temperatures reaching 28C (82F).
Where was the highest temperature recorded in the UK recently?
The highest temperature recorded recently was 30.5C (86.9F) at Frittenden in Kent on Saturday.
How is the climate crisis affecting heatwaves in Europe?
The climate crisis is increasing the likelihood of extreme heat, with warnings from Météo-France about more frequent and intense heat periods.
