Britons basked in sunshine today as the record for the hottest start to May was broken in west London after 35 years. Catch up on the day's events below.
Thursday 1 May 2025 18:04, UK
Thanks for following our live coverage of today's record-breaking UK weather.
As we reported in our final post, 29.3C was the highest temperature today, meaning the record for the hottest start to May was broken by 1.9C.
We're pausing our updates for now, but you read our full story on the weather today here:
And you can check the weather in your area here:
The highest temperature recorded today was 29.3C at Kew Gardens in Richmond, west London.
Today has already broken the record for the hottest start to May, when the temperature reached 28C at Kew Gardens earlier.
That beat the previous 1 May record of 27.4C in Lossiemouth in 1990.
The 10 hottest places according to the Met Office are:
More from the Met Office now, which has a useful reminder for anyone who's planning to head to the beach for a dip in the coming days.
It's posted a map on X, pointing out the sea temperatures around the UK.
Even though we're experiencing a hot 1 May, that's not really matched in the water off our coasts, the forecaster explained.
It said: "Air temperatures will be cooling down over the next few days, though if you still have plans to take a dip, note that sea temperatures are also still on the chilly side at this time of the year."
Check out the map below - which makes it look like Cornwall is your best bet for a warmer swim in the sea (temperatures there could reach 13C in the water... perhaps still a bit cold for many of us).
Today was the hottest start to May on record with a peak of 28.2C recorded at Charlwood in Surrey.
But temperatures are expected to ease by Friday and Saturday, with cooler conditions of 14C to 18C across the UK.
Here's a more detailed breakdown of the weather in the coming days.
Friday
Some rain is expected in central areas but this should clear up by the morning. It will be sunnier across the UK, and cloudier in the afternoon.
The sunny weather will, however, persist in Northern Ireland, some parts of western Scotland and northern England.
Quite a bit of sun is expected in the east and southwest of England and some parts of the southeast.
A peak of 24C is expected in the south and southeast of England.
Saturday
More clouds will be settling in across the UK but some sunshine will be seen in the west, in areas like Pembroke and Hereford, and central areas, such as Birmingham, are also set for yet more sunshine.
Some areas of western and northern Scotland will also be sunny, while clouds are expected in Northern Ireland, although these are set to make way for more sunshine in the afternoon.
Areas in eastern England are expected to clear up on Saturday afternoon, with sunshine expected around Hull, York, Sheffield, Darlington and Norwich.
More sunshine is also forecast in the southwest.
London may reach a high of 21C.
Sunday
The forecast is mainly cloudy in the UK on Sunday morning except for areas in Wales, western Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The afternoon will see more sunshine in the southwest of England, including Devon and Cornwall, and in the north of Scotland.
The southwest is expected to have the highest temperature at 17C on Sunday afternoon.
Stephen Dixon, a Met Office spokesman, said on Thursday afternoon: "Temperatures tomorrow will be slightly reduced from what we've seen today, possibly 26 or 27 degrees in the far south-east of England through the day tomorrow."
Monday
The Bank Holiday is forecast to be mostly dry across the UK - as the Met Office forecast map below demonstrates.
But temperatures will be way down and a lot more seasonal.
In London, temperatures won't get much above 14C. For Edinburgh, a peak of 13C is forecast. In Cardiff, it's 14C, while for Belfast the highest temperature will likely be around the 12C mark.
So while it might still be dry enough to get out and about, enjoy the weekend heat while it lasts.
By Rhys Potter
As we've been reporting, the UK's 1 May temperature record was broken this afternoon.
That was in England, though, at Kew Gardens, in southwest London.
But how hot has it been north of the border today?
Yesterday was Scotland's warmest day of the year so far - temperatures hit 24.4C in Aboyne in Aberdeenshire.
Today, though, hasn't quite hit those heights.
The highest temperatures in Scotland today have been under 20C - with 19C recorded in Eskdalemuir in Dumfries and Galloway, according to the Met Office.
The rest of the country hovers around the mid-teens, with cloud and showers as the day goes on.
It's not like Scotland can't be hot - we know that because the May temperature record broken in Kew today was set on 1 May 1990, in Lossiemouth, Moray.
We spoke a little earlier about the dangers of dogs being left in cars during the unseasonal heat - but what about the many other domesticated animals so dear to the hearts of so many Britons?
Well, helpfully, the RSPCA has also offered some more general guidance as to how people can look after their pets best in the hot weather.
Their top tips are:
It's been recorded in Chertsey in Surrey, where the mercury hit 29.1 at 2.41pm, according to the Met Office.
Today has already broken the record for the hottest start to May, when the temperature reached 28C at Kew Gardens, in Richmond, southwest London.
That beat the previous 1 May record of 27.4C in Lossiemouth in 1990.
As previously discussed, a trip to the beach must be among the most popular activities for those with the time to do so when the weather moves into the mid 20s.
And that's exactly what hundreds of sunseekers have been doing in Kent, where the beach at Broadstairs is presumably far busier than is normal on this date.
Many of our readers have been getting in touch with us to send in their pictures as the UK basks in the hottest start to May on record.
From Wales to Tynemouth, here are your best snaps.
Avid weather forecast followers will be more than familiar with the standard explanation for spells of warm weather in the UK.
Seemingly inevitably, the higher temperatures are said to be the consequence of warm air being blown in Britain's direction from warmer parts of the world, often Africa or southern Europe.
Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern explained why that was not the case in this instance.
"The reason for the high temperatures over the last week has not been because we've been importing warm air from the south, but because cloud-free skies have brought strong solar insolation, warming the air up day-by-day," he said.
"The sun is as strong at this time of year as it is in August. Under high pressure, the air tends to sink, get compressed, and warm up.
"So, it's fair to say that this latest period of very warm weather has been home-grown and not brought in from anywhere else."
