Heathrow reached 35°C and Kew Gardens recorded 34.8°C yesterday, making it the hottest day ever recorded in May in the UK, breaking the record set, uh, Sunday:
The UK has recorded its highest-ever May temperature for the second consecutive day, as thermometers hit 35C (95F) at Heathrow and Kew Gardens in London, the Met Office said.
The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms across England earlier on Tuesday. Forecasters said isolated storms with lightning, hail and gusty winds could affect large parts of the country, from Bath and Reading to Lincoln and Sheffield.
The Met Office said many areas would stay hot and sunny, but that there was potential for as much as 30mm of rainfall in the space of an hour in some parts. The warning will be in effect from 3pm to 10pm.
The country experienced a “tropical night” on Monday, defined as when temperatures do not fall below 20C. Kenley Airfield in south London recorded an overnight temperature of 21.3C.
The Met Office said:
The previous record of 32.8°C was reached in 1922 and 1944. If confirmed and validated, and May sees a new official daily temperature record, it would mean that more than half of the monthly record highs - 7 out of 12 - have been set since 2003.
The record was also surpassed at Heathrow, Greater London (34.4°C); Northolt, Greater London (34.2°C); Teddington Bushy Park, Middlesex (34.0°C), Benson, Oxfordshire (33.6°C); Wisley, Surrey (33.3°C); Reading University, Berkshire (33.2°C); Wellesbourne, Warwickshire (33.2°C); Cippenham, Berkshire (33.0°C); Brize Norton, Oxfordshire (32.9°C); Charlwood, Surrey (32.9°C); Houghton Hall, Norfolk (32.9°C) and Santon Downham, Suffolk (32.9°C). The record was equalled at Marham, Norfolk and Woburn, Bedfordshire.
A climate attribution study published last summer by Met Office scientists found that the chances of surpassing the May temperature record have been increasing as our climate changes as a consequence of human greenhouse gas emissions.
The study found that breaking the 32.8°C May record is around three times more likely now in our current climate than it would have been in a natural climate not impacted by greenhouse gas emissions. What was around a 1-in-100 year event is now around a 1-in-33 year event.
At 3:20 pm BST (about 20 minutes ago), Heathrow reported 33°C with a heat index of 31.7°C and London City reported 34°C.
If this continues, Britons will start buying air conditioners. (Just kidding! They'll never do that.)
The Continent isn't doing much better, with similar temperatures reported in France and even Northern Italy.
Summer officially begins Monday.
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