Britain braces for hottest bank holiday Monday ever: Temperatures set to hit 'historic' 35C on warmest May day on record

By ARTHUR PARASHAR, SENIOR REPORTER Published: 08:52, 25 May 2026 | Updated: 08:56, 25 May 2026 Britain is bracing for its hottest Bank Holiday ever, with temperatures set to soar to a 'historic' 35C today. It comes as parts of the country were as hot as the Mediterranean on Sunday, with the UK enjoying its hottest May day for at least 79 years with a high of 32.3C at Kew Gardens in south-west London.  And Britons are set to flock to parks, pubs and beaches today as they make the most of a fourth day of scorching heat. Early morning swimmers have already been spotted at Hyde Park's Serpentine in London as they enjoy the long weekend.  Temperatures of 35C are predicted for today, which would make it Britain's hottest bank holiday ever - including August.  The current May record is 32.8C, making this heatwave 'unprecedented for the time of year', the Met Office said.  Tom Morgan, a Met Office meteorologist, said: 'We rarely see temperatures above 35C, even in the summer months, so to see temperatures getting close to 35C in May is, as I say, pretty historic.' Wales and Northern Ireland also reached 2026 record temperatures of 27.4C in Cardiff and 23.4C in Armagh on Sunday. A woman sunbathes near water fountains in Battersea Park, south west London Sunseekers flock to Bournemouth Beach  as temperatures reach 'historic' highs Scotland saw highs of 23.5C in Edinburgh on Sunday, just below the current record of 23.6C recorded in Aboyne on May 1.  The Met Office said heatwave conditions were met in eight parts of England on Sunday – Heathrow in Greater London, Benson in Oxfordshire, Brooms Barn in Suffolk, High Beech in Essex, Kew Gardens in London, Northolt in London, Santon Downham in Suffolk and Writtle in Essex. Lincolnshire Police said the body of 15-year-old Declan Sawyer was recovered from the water at Swanholme Lakes, Lincoln, after he was reported to be in trouble at 2.30pm on Sunday. Although Monday is set to be hot for many parts of England, north-west Scotland will be breezier and damper with thicker clouds. Saturday was the first time this year that the UK had passed 30C and Sunday saw the hottest recorded May temperature since 1947. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued its first amber health alert of 2026 on Friday, warning that there is a risk of a significant impact across health and social care services.  The alert will remain in place until Wednesday. The heat is considered to be dangerous for some vulnerable groups including older adults as their bodies struggle to regulate temperature. Animal lovers take part in Alpaca yoga at Hope Farm, Dorset A man tells his dog to go fetch at water fountains in Battersea Park, south west London Londoners flocked to Parliament Hill lido to enjoy the scorching heatwave over the weekend Tourists enjoy a river cruise along the Thames in London A man floats down the River Great Stour in Fordwich Age UK recommends staying inside during the hottest hours of the day, between 11am and 3pm, and having regular cold baths or showers. Age UK charity director Caroline Abrahams said: 'We can all help older people stay safe during periods of hot weather by checking in on older relatives, friends and neighbours to see if they need anything or are struggling with the heat. 'Offering to pick up shopping or medication, or even lending a fan, can make a real difference.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.