Temperatures Hit 33.5°C Near London, Setting New UK Record for May

According to the UK Met Office, the UK broke its all-time temperature record for May today as the country was engulfed in a heatwave, with temperatures near London soaring to 33.5°C. AFP reported that the previous record for May in the UK was 32.8°C, first recorded in 1922 and again in 1944. This is just the latest in a series of record-breaking temperatures for the UK, which saw 2025 become the hottest year on record. Scientists have warned that the UK is not prepared for the increasingly frequent heatwaves caused by human-induced climate change. The Met Office posted on social media: 'Heathrow has reached 33.5°C, provisionally breaking the all-time record for May.' The Met Office had previously predicted temperatures could reach 35°C. Meteorologist Tom Morgan told the Press Association: 'Even in summer months, we rarely see temperatures exceed 35°C, so seeing temperatures near 35°C in May is quite historic.' Yesterday, as temperatures in London exceeded 30°C, a 41-year-old mother told AFP: 'Good weather is nice, but it's too hot, far hotter than the weather in the UK should be. I'm worried; this is clearly due to global warming.'