Published on May. 26, 2026, 10:20 PM
The record-breaking temperatures are under the influence of a high pressure area that’s allowing exceptional heat to build up, reaching levels not previously reported for this time of year.
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
An oppressive heat wave has settled over western Europe and was blamed for multiple deaths in France, while breaking all-time May temperature records around the region.
May 26 broke the record for the hottest day in May ever recorded in England and Wales, with temperatures reaching 35.1 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) and 32.9 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit), respectively, according to the UK’s Met Office. The record-breaking day came after what was described as a “tropical night” in London, where overnight lows didn’t dip below 21.3 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) at the Kenley Airfield.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s seasonal temperature outlook for June, July and August, 2026.
Among the records broken on May 25 and 26 in the United Kingdom, according to preliminary data, are hottest May day on record, highest minimum temperature or overnight low and hottest U.K. bank holiday on record.
The record-breaking temperatures are under the influence of a high pressure area that’s allowing exceptional heat to build up, reaching levels not previously reported for this time of year, Dan Suri, Met Office Chief Operational Meteorologist, said in a May 25 update.
The high pressure is expected to lose that influence in late May, Suri said. A 2025 study by the Met Office forecasters found the chances of surpassing the May temperature record is more than three times as likely now because of climate change than it would have been without greenhouse gas emissions.