UK forecast points to unusually intense late-May heat with temperatures nearing 35C

24 May 2026 , 10:51

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A scorching 35C heatwave was set to leave the UK baking this bank holiday, as thousands of Britons flock to beaches for a weekend being dubbed "May’s fiery flip-flop".

Following a bitter cold snap, the UK could be on course for a record-shattering heatwave over the late May bank holiday, a meteorological expert has revealed. Certain parts of the country could be 2C or 3C hotter than the previous May record on Monday.

The intense heat is roaring back to the UK "with a vengeance", after temperatures plummeted to near-freezing at the beginning of the week, according to British Weather Services’ senior meteorologist Jim Dale. The sudden surge in heat was triggered by an African plume arriving just days after an Arctic polar front, he said.

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"We’re probably overdue this heat in that respect," Mr Dale told the Mirror. "It’s coming back with vengeance. It is going to heat up quite a lot, to say the least."

Bank Holiday Monday was tipped to be the hottest day of the long weekend, he added. London, in particular, could hit a remarkable 35C, which would be nearly 3C above the previous May record, reports the Mirror.

However, numerous other counties could also be facing a sweltering 35C on Monday, Mr Dale added, including Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, Northamptonshire, and Lincolnshire.

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Further north, there could still be record-breaking temperatures on a local level. The north-west of England and parts of Scotland were predicted to reach up to 29C. "32.8C is the record we’ve got to beat," said Mr Dale. "For this time of year, that’s staggering temperature. There are some models that are actually showing a lot more than that, 34C, 35C.

"If it reaches that, that’s just silly heights at this time of year. That’s got climate change written all over it. We’ll see as we get closer to whether those sort of silly temperatures will come, breaking the record and beyond come to be."

Saturday was predicted to mirror Friday closely, though with occasional thundery showers. Temperatures could climb to between 24C and 25C in some areas, before another modest rise the day after.

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The mercury could touch between 27C and 28C on Sunday, before another sharp leap on Bank Holiday Monday. Tuesday could also prove exceptionally warm, depending on wind direction and cloud cover, the meteorologist added.

Meanwhile, the Met Office also indicated the height of the heat would arrive on Monday. High pressure was anticipated across most of the UK, meaning cooler areas could experience even more sunshine and warmth.

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It said: "For many areas, this will feel more like mid-summer than late May, with temperatures rising well above average and the potential for some notably high values as the weekend progresses.

"The bank holiday Monday is expected to bring the peak of the heat. Temperatures may reach around 33C across parts of southern and central England, with the potential to challenge or exceed existing late-May records." An amber heat health alert has been issued for the East of England, signalling a risk of considerable disruption across health and social care services. Indoor temperatures could climb beyond the recommended threshold, including within hospitals.

The alert was activated from 2pm on Friday until 5pm on Wednesday, according to the UK Health Security Agency.

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