UK Sets May Heat Record at 34.8°C, Europe on Alert
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- Met Office recorded a provisional 34.8 °C at London’s Kew Gardens, the highest May temperature ever in the UK.
- Heathrow airport logged 33.5 °C on Monday, breaking the previous May record set in 1922 and matched in 1944.
- Wales saw a provisional May record of 32.2 °C at Hawarden airport, surpassing the 1944 Newport high.
- Holyrood Park in Edinburgh experienced a large grass fire, while about 500 homes in Sussex and Kent faced water supply interruptions due to soaring demand.
- European heatwave alerts covered eight regions, with forecasts of up to 37 °C in southern France and “tropical nights” in southwest Spain.
Why it matters: UK households face higher cooling costs and health risks, while water utilities must manage surging demand, driving up rates and prompting urgent investment in climate‑resilient infrastructure.
