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May is one of the finest months in London for many reasons – the parks are full of colourful spring blooms and the possibilities of summer are on the horizon, but even more notably, there are not one, but two bank holidays to enjoy. And if you’ve looked at your weather app lately, you’ll have noticed that the late May Bank Holiday taking place this weekend (Saturday May 23 to Monday May 25) is shaping up to be a very sunny one indeed.
But, just how hot will it be, and could we even be in store for a pre-summer heatwave? Here’s what the weather gurus at the Met Office and BBC Weather have forecast for the long weekend. It’s looking like we’ll all get a nice dose of vitamin D, but make sure to pack the sunscreen if you’re heading outside.
Late May Bank Holiday 2026 weather forecast (May 23-25 2026)
Here’s what the Met Office reckons is on the cards for London over the late May bank holiday weekend.
Saturday May 23
At the time of writing, the Met Office says that Saturday, May 4, will be warm with a few clouds for the majority of the day with highs of 26C in the early evening. Wind gusts of 17mph and a touch of rain overnight between 1am and 7am could affect the temperature slightly.
Sunday May 24
Sunday, May 14, looks set to be less cloudy than Saturday with clear skies and sun predicted for most of the day. Highs of 27C are expected, but wind gusts of up to 19mph may affect the temperature.
Bank Holiday Monday May 25
On Bank Holiday Monday, the warm and fair weather is expected to prevail, as the high-pressure weather system remains in place. Highs of 26C are expected.
Will there be a heatwave?
According to the Met Office, a UK heatwave is when ‘a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold’. This threshold varies from county to county, ranging from 25C across the north and west of the UK, and then rising to 28C in parts of the east, including London.
So, we won’t technically be getting a ‘heatwave’ over the bank holiday weekend, but we are in for a nice extended spell of very pleasant weather.
Want to cool off? London’s first official open water swimming area in the River Thames is now open.
Or, make the most of the weather with the best outdoor activities in London.
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