Overview

• April 2025 was the sunniest April on record for England and the second sunniest for Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, with a mean temperature 1.9°C above average.
• May 1 saw a record-breaking 29.3°C at Kew Gardens, making it the warmest start to May ever recorded in the UK.
• The Met Office has declared the end of the recent hot spell, with temperatures expected to drop to 15–16°C by Bank Holiday Monday, May 5.
• Long-range forecasts from WX Charts predict a heavy rain band will sweep across the UK on May 16, bringing up to 9 mm of rainfall in some areas.
• The dramatic weather shift reflects broader trends of climate change, with high-pressure systems amplifying the frequency of extreme warm spells.