United Kingdom records hottest day in May in history

In the United Kingdom, a record highest temperature for May was recorded for the second day in a row, with some areas exceeding 35°C on Tuesday (27), according to the Met Office, London's meteorological service.

In Kew Gardens, an area in southwest London, a temperature of 35.1°C was recorded, the highest temperature recorded that month. The previous record was 32.8°C, achieved in 1922 and 1944, the Met Office said.

The meteorological service published on the social network X that Tuesday (26) was the hottest day recorded in May in both England and Wales.

Today is now the hottest day in May on record for both England and Wales with Kew Gardens provisionally reaching 35.1°C and Cardiff Bute Park reaching 32.9°C pic.twitter.com/NSnRSuhNHp

- Met Office (@metoffice) May 26, 2026

According to them, as with new national records, "the equipment and site will undergo a rigorous validation process before a decision is made on the official inclusion of the value in the meteorological record books. This process will include an inspection of the site and a check of the equipment used to measure the temperature."

"For a value to be considered an official national record, the Met Office follows national and international best practice and guidelines. If the value does not meet the required standards, it will be rejected as an official national record," he added.

The heatwave hitting the UK will continue across much of England and Wales, with temperatures well above average.

Isolated thunderstorms are also expected to hit parts of England and continue overnight, the Met Office said.

*Under the supervision of Malu Baccarin

Source: CNN