First Heat Wave of the Year Hits Parts of Britain

Large parts of Britain experienced their first heat wave of the year, with temperatures potentially climbing to unprecedented levels for May. Forecasters warned that the mercury could hit 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of England. This would surpass the previous May record of 32.8 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit) set in 1944, according to the Met Office, the official weather service of the country. The office described the heat as unusual, noting that temperature records are typically surpassed by smaller margins.

The heat began building throughout the week and peaked over the weekend, especially in England and Wales. On Saturday, temperatures reached 30.5 degrees Celsius (86.9 degrees Fahrenheit) in southeast England. The Met Office highlighted that temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius in May are infrequent, last occurring in 2012.

By Sunday, eight locations in southeast England met the heat wave criteria, having recorded three consecutive days above their local temperature thresholds. In Britain, an official heat wave is declared if temperatures meet or exceed local thresholds for three continuous days. This differs from the United States, where a heat wave is generally recognized as a period of unusually hot weather lasting more than two days.