Britain is on course for its first heatwave of the year this Bank Holiday weekend, with temperatures expected to reach 31C and potentially break a 14-year May record — as health authorities issue a six-day alert and millions of families prepare to head out for the start of half term.
The Met Office has confirmed that a sustained period of high pressure will take hold from Friday through to Tuesday, meeting the official definition of a heatwave — three consecutive days at or above a set temperature threshold. The southeast will feel the heat first, with central and western England and parts of Wales expected to follow, reaching highs of 28 to 29C as the weekend develops.
Deputy Chief Forecaster Greg Wolverson said the conditions would be widely settled. “A very warm period of weather will develop through the weekend and into next week for much of the UK,” he said. “High pressure will be in charge of the UK’s weather over the bank holiday weekend and this should bring fine and settled conditions to most areas.” He noted that parts of northwestern Scotland would remain cooler and cloudier with some rain, and flagged a small risk of thunderstorms in the south late on Friday into Saturday.
Friday alone is expected to set the record for the hottest day of the year so far, surpassing the previous 2026 high of 26.6C recorded at Kew Gardens in London on 8 April. Should temperatures push past the 30C mark as forecast, they will also eclipse the 14-year May record of 29.4C — and, for context, exceed current temperatures in Turkey.
The arrival of the heat follows an unusually cool May and coincides with the start of the school half-term break, a combination that the AA predicts will create significant congestion on the roads. The motoring organisation is expecting 23.4 million journeys on Friday alone.
The UK Health Security Agency has responded by activating a six-day health alert across southern, eastern and central areas of England, warning of an increased risk to vulnerable people and heightened pressure on healthcare services. The public has been urged to take precautions, particularly for the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.
With families expected to make the most of the long weekend outdoors, Nick Giles OBE, Managing Director of Leisure at Ordnance Survey, encouraged people to embrace the opportunity while urging caution. “With a long weekend looming, and warm weather forecast, it seems the perfect opportunity to set out on an adventure on foot,” he said, advising walkers to carry water, a map and appropriate kit and to remain mindful of the heat.
The forecast comes against a broader backdrop of concern about the UK’s changing climate. Climate advisers have recently warned that Britain must adjust to becoming a “hot country,” with data suggesting the risk of extreme heat events will increase by 300 per cent by 2050.
