Overview
- Provisional Met Office readings showed England and Wales hit unusually high May temperatures, with Kew/Heathrow reaching about 35.1°C and Cardiff about 32.9°C following the bank‑holiday heat.
- The Met Office issued yellow thunderstorm warnings for wide parts of Wales and south‑west and western England effective 3pm to midnight on Wednesday, warning of torrential downpours, large hail, frequent lightning, gusty winds and possible local flooding.
- Forecasters said the heaviest storms will be localized so many places may avoid severe impacts but that driving delays, short power cuts and some building damage are possible where storms hit hardest.
- In Southern California a Pacific low has strengthened the marine layer known as 'May Gray', bringing cool coastal temperatures, morning drizzle and a Wind Advisory for mountains and deserts with gusts up to about 45–65 mph through early Thursday.
- Agencies urged simple preparedness steps such as assembling torches and phone power packs, securing loose outdoor items, and planning for travel disruption as forecasts show conditions easing to near‑normal by the weekend in both regions.