Met Office maps show 12 counties are forecast for a heat wave reaching 30C on Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday – potentially making it the hottest May weather the UK has seen since 2012
As many as 12 counties are set to be hit by temperatures of 30C or more as much of the UK braces for a scorching bank holiday weekend and Monday.
Weather maps from the Met Office show large parts of southern England are set for temperatures in the high 20s on Sunday and Monday, climbing to 31C in a number of cities and towns. London, Bromley, Dartford, Slough, Cambridge, Ely, Thetford, Newmarket and Saffron Walden are all expected to reach 31C by 4pm on Sunday.
The highest temperature recorded in the UK so far this year was 26.6C at Kew Gardens on April 8, but that record could soon be broken. Any temperature above 29.4C will be the highest May temperature recorded in the UK since 2012, whilst the all-time May record stands at 32.8C, according to the Met Office.
Some exposed coastal areas are likely to stay a little cooler, particularly parts of south-west and south-east England, while temperatures further north are expected to hover in the mid-20s.
Wales is also set for warm conditions, with temperatures in the mid-20s with Hay-on-Wye, near the English border, forecast to see 27C by Sunday afternoon. Northern Ireland and Scotland are expected to stay milder, with highs of around 20C in Belfast, 19C in Dundee and 18C in Glasgow.
The Met Office’s weather maps suggest Monday will follow a similar pattern, although most areas are likely to be a few degrees cooler than Sunday’s temperatures.
Counties set to see 30C on Sunday:
- Greater London
- Kent
- Berkshire
- Oxfordshire
- Buckinghamshire
- Hertfordshire
- Bedfordshire
- Essex
- Cambridgeshire
- Norfolk
- Suffolk
- Surrey
Counties set to see 30C on Monday:
- Greater London
- Kent
- Berkshire
In its outlook for Saturday to Monday, the Met Office says: “Some showers Friday night, clearing southeastwards early Saturday. Patchy rain at times in the far northwest, and some coastal mist patches. Otherwise dry. Hot sunshine by day, mostly clear overnight.”
Its long-range forecast for Monday, May 25, to Wednesday, June 3, states: “Warm and dry for most on Bank Holiday Monday. Through the week, high pressure is expected to remain in place for much of the UK, meaning fine weather likely to continue for most places.
“Some patchy rain may affect the far north at times and perhaps a few showers in the far south. Temperatures are expected to be above normal, feeling very warm at times with light winds.”
