Hottest day on record for May in Britain

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Reuters May 26, 2026 Less than a minute read

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LONDON:

Britain had its hottest day on record for May on Monday, the country's national weather service said, with the temperature nearing 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit).

On a day that also broke records for a public holiday, the Met Office said the temperature hit 34.8 C (94.64 F) at west London's Kew Gardens, provisionally exceeding Britain's previous 32.8 C (91 F) May record, seen in both 1922 and 1944.

A study last year found that the chances of surpassing the previous 32.8 C May record were three times more likely as a result of changes in climate as a result of human greenhouse gas emissions, the Met Office said.

"This heat would be exceptional in the UK even in mid summer, let alone in May," it said.