The Met Office has confirmed that temperatures reached 28C in one part of the UK, marking the warmest start to May on record. In a post on X the meteorological organisation said: "With the temperature at Kew Gardens reaching 28C and still climbing, it is now officially the warmest start to May on record for the UK. The previous May 1st record high temperature was 27.4C at Lossiemouth in Scotland in 1990."

So far, spring 2025 has been warmer and drier than usual. March was England’s sunniest since records began in 1910, and the UK’s average temperature for the month was 1.3C above normal. Rainfall was at just 43% of the average – and in some parts of southern England and Wales, it was less than a fifth. April’s full data is expected soon, but the pattern of warm, dry conditions has continued into May – and it's already having an impact.

Figures from the EU’s Copernicus satellite monitoring system show that 29,484 hectares of land have already been burned across the UK this year - more than double the yearly average of 12,613 hectares recorded between 2012 and 2024.

There have been 84 wildfire incidents so far in 2025, compared to an annual average of 58.

Fire Scotland has warned that the wildfire risk is now “very high to extreme” across central, southern and north-eastern areas of the country during the bank holiday weekend.

Natural England rates fire severity as “very high” for most of the UK apart from Wales and the north-west and south-west of England.

The NHS has issued advice on how to cope with the sudden hot weather.

People are urged to avoid going out during the hottest part of the day, between 11am and 3pm, and to stay in the shade when possible.

Other tips include drinking cold fluids, avoiding alcohol and caffeine, and wearing light clothing.

Keeping homes cool by shutting windows during the day and opening them at night is also advised.

Scotland recorded its hottest April day in six years yesterday, with Aboyne in Aberdeenshire reaching 24.4C. But the warm spell has already begun to fade.

A cold front is now sweeping across the north of the UK, bringing cooler, cloudier conditions and showery rain.

Temperatures today are expected to be 8C to 11C lower than yesterday, with highs of 12C in north-east Scotland and 14C to 18C elsewhere.

By Sunday, parts of northern Britain may see daytime highs of just 8C or 9C.