A UK heatwave is set to trigger an event not witnessed in England for 70 years, as temperatures are forecast to reach 30°C this Bank Holiday weekend. BBC Weather forecaster Sarah Keith-Lucas has warned that if the mercury hits 30°C before Monday, it will mark the earliest date this has occurred in the UK for over seven decades.
Record-Breaking Temperatures Expected
So far in 2026, the highest temperature recorded was 26.6°C during an unusually warm spell in early April. However, the Met Office predicts this figure will be surpassed over the three-day Bank Holiday weekend. Sarah Keith-Lucas stated in her forecast on Wednesday, May 20: "As early as Friday afternoon, temperatures are expected to reach up to 28°C in south-east England. This will be the warmest weather of the year so far, exceeding the 26.6°C recorded at Kew Gardens in April."
Met Office Confirms Heat Plume
Aidan McGivern from the Met Office explained: "This weekend will be hot in some places and very warm in many places. High pressure builds across eastern parts of the UK, and a plume of heat will intensify, especially across the south of the country, allowing a day-by-day build in temperatures. The south-east will be hottest, with high temperatures across Saturday and Sunday. The temperature could be 30°C, which is 7°C to 9°C above the average."
McGivern added in a video forecast: "By Saturday, again the peak heat will be focused on the south-east. Similar values on Sunday, with a large part of England affected by temperatures 9°C above the May average." He noted that "notable" heat would emerge through the week, with further updates to come.
