hottest uk summer to experience
With a peak temperature of 29 degrees Celsius expected in south-east England, May 1 (Thursday) is likely to be the hottest uk summer on record start to May on record for the United Kingdom.
The previous record of 27.4°C on May 1, 1990 at Lossiemouth would be exceeded by this, reported BBC.
At this time of year, temperatures will widely be around 7°C to 11°C higher than the average.
Temperatures will start to gradually fall over the bank holiday weekend to around average by Monday after a peak in heat on Thursday.
been the top hottest summers record
With average global temperature generally in the low to mid-twenties on Wednesday, extremely warm, even hot, weather was experienced throughout the United Kingdom.
The warmest April weather in seven years occurred in south-east England, where the temperature at Wisley, Surrey, reached 26.7°C (80.1°F).
At Aboyne (Aberdeenshire), Scotland experienced its highest April temperature since 2019. It was 24.4°C (75.9°F).
After the national record of 26.2°C was achieved at Gogerddan (Ceredigion) in 2003, Wednesday was the second-hottest April day on record in Wales.
At 24.1°C Castlederg, it was also the second-hottest April day on record in Northern Ireland, surpassing the previous record of 24.5°C established in 1984.
daypublished at british summer time
While moderate in Scotland’s far north, UV levels were high throughout the majority of the United Kingdom.
Thursday is predicted to be considerably hotter across England and Wales, with highs of the mid to upper 20s and even as high as 29 degrees Celsius.
The record for the warmest start to May would be surpassed by several degrees if such were the case.
It will get cooler across Scotland and Northern Ireland, though, with some cloud cover and showers. In fact, temperatures will drop to about 13vC to 17°C, which is the typical range for early May.
Parts of Wales, the Midlands, and eastern England may experience heavy, thundery showers on Thursday due to rising humidity.
temperature by constituent country
There has been a significant region of high pressure in the United Kingdom for the past week, but it has effectively remained stationary and obstructed.
This indicates that UK has experienced settled and dry weather as a result of rain-bearing zones of low pressure that would typically arrive off the mid-Atlantic being redirected elsewhere.
The United Kingdom is no stranger to unpredictable weather, but recent years have marked a striking shift—most notably, the hottest summers on record. The summer heatwaves that once seemed rare are now becoming the new norm, with soaring temperatures pushing past 40°C (104°F) in some areas. The summer of 2022, in particular, set unprecedented records, officially making it the UK’s hottest summer since records began in 1884, and this trend appears to be continuing.
british summer time in pictures
Such extreme temperatures have raised concerns across sectors—from agriculture and health to infrastructure and the environment. Roads have melted, rail lines have buckled, and the public health system has faced increased strain due to heat-related illnesses and dehydration cases. Urban areas, especially cities like London, Birmingham, and Manchester, experience even higher heat intensities due to the urban heat island effect.
Climate experts attribute this spike in temperatures to global warming and the ongoing climate crisis. Greenhouse gas emissions and changing jet stream patterns have intensified heatwaves across Europe, with the United Kingdom no longer insulated from these extreme shifts. The government and environmental agencies have issued warnings and taken action, including rolling out heat-health alerts and encouraging sustainable urban planning with more green spaces to combat rising heat.
Farmers and the food supply chain have also felt the impact, with water shortages affecting crop yields and livestock welfare. While many welcome the sunshine, especially after long, grey winters, there’s growing concern that the hottest summers may bring long-term challenges that require urgent policy, planning, and public awareness. The United Kingdom hottest summers are no longer outliers—they’re signals of a changing climate that calls for action at every level, from individuals to institutions, to adapt and mitigate the growing risks of extreme heat.