The climate crisis is real, but enjoy the sunshine too this bank holiday

Felt it now? It’s great, isn’t it? Even if you have not felt the rays, you were probably well aware that the sun has its hat on from the articles forecasting London will be hotter than hot-sounding city X.

There were also reports that 33C will be the hottest day of the year so far, a record so meaningless in May it’s like achieving a personal best at a rarely-run 13km distance.

The weather has always been much discussed by the British but the Met Office has broadened its parameters to become a communications behemoth too.

I am not such a fan of asking the public to nominate a force of nature grandma to name a storm after, but it’s true that it does help alerts to get out.

And fair play to its press office for calling out tabloids on Twitter when they have used a dubious source to predict one “heat blast” or “rain bomb” too many.

But while there is a lot of noise and publicity around the weather, there are two things that often seem to be hiding in plain sight.

There are two weather truths, co-existing, getting lost, even if they are mentioned in a Met Office press release.

Firstly, if 33C does feel unusually warm for May, it’s because it has literally never been so warm in the UK in the fifth month. And the reason why should be of concern.“

Breaking the 32.8C May record is around three times more likely now in our current climate than it would have been in a natural climate not impacted by greenhouse gas emissions,” the Met Office stated.

“What was around a 1-in-100 year event is now around a 1-in-33 year event.”

The warning comes after the hottest ever start to April in the UK and a call to the WHO to consider the climate crisis a worldwide emergency.

But secondly, whatever the ill man-made cause of the heat, I believe that it is still there to be enjoyed, albeit in a mindful way, with an acknowledgement that having the hottest year on record (which 2026 is set to be) should be a warning.

Of course, there is only so much any of us can do to reduce our own contribution to the climate crisis. And individuals should not feel guilt over enjoying a hot day, more a collective responsibility.

If you have concerns of your own, by all means lobby your MP, make changes to your lifestyle.

However, whether its going to the beach, enjoying a long walk, or just having an ice cream in the garden, there is enjoyment to be had without anxiously checking your phone about when the hot streak might end; if this indeed has become the hottest May day, if this means rain is on the way, or if the warmth is going to lead to traffic jams (or whatever the concern of the hour is).

We can take action to collectively help avoid a climate catastrophe. But my hope is you can enjoy the sunny bank holiday weekend without any guilt.

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William Mata is a writer and SEO editor for LBC.

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