UK experiences ‘tropical night’ after hottest ever May day
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- Kenley airfield recorded a minimum temperature of 21.3 °C on Monday, establishing a “tropical night” and breaking the UK May daily‑minimum record for the second day in a row.
- Kew Gardens hit 34.8 °C, setting a provisional all‑time hottest spring temperature for the UK and surpassing the previous May peak of 32.8 °C recorded in 1922 and 1944.
- Met Office said 12 locations broke records on Monday and 97 monitoring sites reached or exceeded 30 °C, with several areas already meeting the heat‑wave threshold of 28 °C for three consecutive days.
- West Yorkshire police reported a 13‑year‑old boy died after being rescued from a reservoir in West Yorkshire, where he was later pronounced dead.
- Met Office forecast Tuesday highs of up to 35 °C, potentially near 36 °C, across southern England and Wales, with thunderstorms possible in the afternoon.
Why it matters: Local authorities will incur higher emergency costs after 12 UK sites broke records and a 13‑year‑old boy died, while energy firms must prepare for a demand surge as the Met Office forecasts 35 °C highs Tuesday.
