Britain braces for hottest bank holiday Monday ever: Temperatures set to hit ‘historic’ 35C on warmest May day on record
England is bracing for its hottest Bank Holiday yet, with temperatures rising to a ‘historic’ 35C today.
Sunday came as parts of the country were as hot as the Mediterranean and England experienced its warmest May day for at least 79 years, with a temperature of 32.3 degrees at Kew Gardens in south-west London.
Britons are also preparing to flock to parks, pubs and beaches today to make the most of the fourth day of scorching heat.
Early morning swimmers were spotted at the Serpentine in London’s Hyde Park as they enjoyed the last day of the long weekend.
The Met Office says the mercury will soar to a scorching 35C today. It is Britain’s hottest bank holiday ever, including August.
The current May record is 32.8 degrees and this heatwave is ‘unprecedented for this time of year’, the forecaster said.
Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said: ‘Even in summer we rarely see temperatures above 35C, so to see temperatures approaching 35C in May is, as I say, quite historic.’
He said nighttime temperatures could also cause records to be broken, making it “uncomfortable for sleep.”
The Met Office said overnight the UK’s highest daily minimum temperature for May was recorded at a provisional record level.
Temperatures at Kenley Airport in Greater London did not fall below 19.4°C overnight, temporarily breaking the previous May record of 18.9°C set in 1944.
Wales and Northern Ireland also reached 2026 record temperatures on Sunday, with 27.4C in Cardiff and 23.4C in Armagh.
Brits were seen lounging on Bournemouth beach in Dorset in the early hours of bank holiday Monday
Sun seekers flock to Bournemouth Beach as temperatures reach ‘historic’ highs
Scotland saw the highest temperature of 23.5C in Edinburgh on Sunday; this was just below the current record of 23.6C recorded at Aboyne on May 1.
The Met Office said eight regions officially entered heatwave conditions on Sunday after spending three days at or above the temperature threshold. These were Heathrow in Greater London, Benson in Oxfordshire, Brooms Barn in Suffolk, High Beech in Essex, Kew Gardens in London, Northolt in London, Santon Downham in Suffolk and Writtle in Essex.
Sun seekers and families have been seen filling beaches and parks across the country.
Thousands of people were photographed enjoying the heat in Brighton Beach, Bournemouth, Lyme Regis and Devon.
Many more flocked to local lidos and nearby rivers over the three-day weekend.
Meanwhile, revelers were left partying at the weekend’s Bank Holiday festivities, including BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend at Herrington Country Park in Sunderland, as well as star-studded events at Brockwell Park in south London.
But there were also scenes of chaos on Bournemouth beach on Saturday, where youngsters were photographed inhaling so-called “hippy crack” as a girl was carried away on a stretcher.
In the afternoon, six police officers went to the beach and arrested a young man for unknown reasons and then escorted him away.
He apparently resisted arrest all the way to the promenade before being loaded into a police van watched by bystanders.
Police had to intervene after a group of girls got into a fight near the Red Arrows simulator.
One of the girls was seen putting her hands around the neck of another woman before the conflict spread.
Elsewhere, in Lincoln, the body of 15-year-old Declan Sawyer, who disappeared while swimming with a group of friends during the heatwave, was found in Swanholme Lakes.
Authorities warned over the weekend about the dangers of swimming in reservoirs and lakes.
A woman braves scorching temperatures for a morning run on Wimbledon Common
A swimmer cools off in the sky pool at Nine Elms in south London
Animal lovers take part in Alpaca yoga at Hope Farm in Dorset
A man tells his dog to drink from water fountains in Battersea Park, south-west London
Londoners flocked to Parliament Hill port to enjoy scorching heatwave over the weekend
Tourists enjoy a river cruise along the River Thames in London
A man floats down the River Great Stour at Fordwich
While Monday will be warm for most parts of England, the north-west of Scotland will be breezier and wetter, with thicker clouds.
Saturday was the first day the UK exceeded 30 degrees this year, and Sunday saw the warmest May temperature recorded since 1947.
The UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) issued the first yellow health alert of 2026 on Friday, warning of a significant risk of impact on health and social care services.
The warning will remain in effect until Wednesday.
Heat is considered dangerous for some sensitive groups, including older adults, because their bodies have trouble regulating temperature.
Age UK recommends staying indoors during the hottest parts of the day, between 11am and 3pm, and taking cold baths or showers regularly.
Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: ‘We can all help older people stay safe in hot weather by checking on elderly relatives, friends and neighbors to see if they need anything or are struggling in the heat.
‘Offering to buy shopping or medication, or even lending it to a fan, can make a real difference.’
