Britain sweltered through the hottest ever start to May today with temperatures set to hit 30C (86F) at the earliest point of the year on record.
The Met Office confirmed that with the Kew Gardens in London hitting 28.0C (82.4F) this afternoon and ‘still climing’, today is officially the hottest May Day ever. It beat the previous all-time high for May 1 of 27.4C (81.3F) at Lossiemouth in Moray in 1990.
Today marks the UK’s hottest day of 2025 so far for the fourth consecutive day, after highs of 26.7C (80.1F), 24.9C (76.8F) and 24.5C (76.1F) for the past three days.
Students from the University of St Andrews made the most of the warm conditions at sunrise to part in the traditional May Day Dip on the East Sands in the Fife town.
Plunging into the North Sea at dawn on the first day of May is said to promote good luck in exams – with hundreds seen excitedly running into the water this morning.
Elsewhere, morris dancers welcomed the start of the month as celebrations took place across the country to mark the arrival of May Day. Festivals dating back hundreds of years traditionally take place at what is seen as the beginning of summer.
But tragedy struck in Nottingham where a body has been found in the search for a 16-year-old boy who went missing while swimming at Colwick Country Park.
Very warm weather continues tomorrow with 26C (79F) highs before temperatures drop this weekend with 19C (66F) on Saturday and 16C (61F) on Sunday.
Bank Holiday Monday will also be significantly cooler with highs of just 14C (57F) before next Tuesday and Wednesday get up to only 15C (59F) or 16C (61F).
It is good news for hayfever sufferers after the Met Office imposed a ‘very high’ pollen warning for all of southern England, the Midlands and Wales today. This is replaced by a ‘high’ warning tomorrow, ‘medium’ on Saturday and ‘low’ on Sunday.
Met Office meteorologist Michael Silverstone said temperatures today could climb further to ’29C or even 30C’.
He added: ‘If we reach 30C on Thursday, it will be the earliest date in May that the UK has seen 30C since our records began in 1860.’
Temperatures are about 7C to 13C above the average for early May.
The highest ever recorded temperature in May was 32.8C (91.0F) on May 22, 1922, in London.
The Met Office said temperatures reached 26.7C (80.1F) yesterday in Wisley, Surrey, – making it the warmest day of the year so far.
That came after temperatures hit 24.9C (76.8F) on Tuesday in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire; and 24.5C (76.1F) on Monday at St James’s Park in London.
Despite the soaring temperatures, the all-time April high of 29.4C (84.9F) at Camden Square in London in 1949 was not broken.
But some farmers have been struggling with the unseasonably hot weather – including Andy Barr, who owns an 800-acre farm in Kent where he grows barley, wheat, beans and rapeseed.
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: ‘We’re having to do things in the fields very early and later in the evening to try and cope with the hot weather.’
Mr Barr also said it also makes the crops ‘very stressed’, adding; ‘We [farmers] like nice boring weather. We like 21C, sunny and a bit of rain at night – not extremes.’
Meanwhile the Met Office has ruled out a heatwave this week.
Mr Silverstone said it looks ‘unlikely’ the UK will reach a heatwave – which is defined as three consecutive days of temperatures exceeding the ‘heatwave threshold’, which varies across the country.
The threshold is 25C for most of the UK, rising to 28C in London.
‘Admittedly, it could be close for a few places in the South, though, with temperatures either today or Friday only just failing to exceed the required threshold,’ Mr Silverstone said.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has urged caution around open-water swimming after a 32 per cent increase in water-related incidents last month compared with the same period last year.
Craig Carter, LFB assistant commissioner for prevention and protection, said: ‘Even when the sun is shining, water temperatures can be dangerously cold. Cold water shock can affect anyone, no matter how fit or experienced they are.
‘It can lead to water inhalation and, in the worst cases, drowning. Be particularly careful near the water’s edge, it’s easy to slip and fall unexpectedly. And think twice before jumping into open water.’
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) offered similar warnings.
Gabbi Batchelor, water safety education manager at RNLI, said: ‘If you are planning on swimming at a lifeguarded beach, we highly recommend you swim between the red and yellow flags as this is the area most closely monitored by lifeguards.
‘If you get into trouble in the water, float to live. Tilt your head back with ears submerged and try to relax and control your breathing. Use your hands to help you stay afloat and then call for help or swim to safety if you can.’
Fire services also warned the warm weather means there is a ‘heightened’ risk of grass and wildfires which can spread more easily during the dry spell.
And the NHS also reported that searches for hay fever advice had doubled from Monday to yesterday.
Duncan Burton, chief nursing officer for England, said: ‘While I’m sure most people will be delighted to be able to enjoy the warmth and sunshine at this time of year, the warm weather brings an increase in the pollen count that can cause discomfort for hay fever sufferers.
‘Most people will be able to manage their symptoms with medication that is available off the shelf from community pharmacies and supermarkets, and the NHS website has more advice on how to deal with the discomfort.’
Meanwhile RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis said: ‘Breakdowns are expected to soar over the next few days, as temperatures in many parts do the same.
‘We’re urging everyone travelling to ensure they have plenty of water for themselves and any passengers in case they get stuck in traffic or break down, as well as having sunscreen, hats or an umbrella with them to protect themselves from the sun.
‘Drivers must avoid driving if the low coolant light appears on the dashboard as there’s a serious risk of engine overheating.’
Yesterday, trains were delayed in areas of London, Berkshire and Yorkshire because of the hot weather.
Great Western Railway said fewer trains could run between London Paddington and Reading because of a speed restriction brought in due to ‘high track temperatures’.
The same problem impacted TransPennine Express services between Malton and York stations in North Yorkshire, and Stalybridge and Huddersfield in West Yorkshire.
It comes ahead of the May Day bank holiday, with Britons being warned to avoid driving tomorrow amid fears of road chaos as motorists plan a million more leisure trips by car this year.
The worst jams tomorrow are expected in the late afternoon and evening when holiday and commuter traffic combine – with motorists urged to travel before 10am.
Experts at the RAC also encouraged drivers to take to the roads before 11am or after 3pm if they are travelling on the Saturday, Sunday or Bank Holiday Monday.
Some 17million motorists are set to hit the roads between Friday and Monday, with traffic hotspots expected to include the A720 Edinburgh bypass towards Dreghorn.
The M25 clockwise from the South Mimms interchange to Essex could see delays of 40 minutes from 4pm on Friday as commuter traffic combines with holiday trips.
And the M5 southbound is expected to see delays of a similar duration from 7pm between the J15 Almondsbury interchange at Bristol and J23 for Bridgwater.
Some 22million working Brits have booked annual leave around the May bank holidays, according to data from the latest Virgin Media O2 Business Movers Index.
The firm also said 41 per cent of UK workers admitted to having called in sick at some stage to take advantage of a sunny day off.
The retailer Lakeland said it had seen significant increases in sales over the past week for ice cream makers, barbecues, pizza ovens and outdoor airers and pegs.
Ice cream makers are up by 248 per cent week on week, while barbecue sales are up by 1,535 per cent in the same time. Pizza oven sales are up by 105 per cent too, while outdoor drying products are up by 244 per cent.
Meanwhile Toolstation reported sales of lawnmowers increased by 136 per cent over the last week, while hedge trimmers rose by 76 per cent week on week. Watering cans are up by 109 per cent.