This week's heatwave has broken a Sheffield weather record for May
We may only be on the second day of May, but this week’s heatwave has resulted in a Sheffield weather record for the month being broken.
Yesterday was the warmest May 1 on record, according to Alistair McLean who is the current custodian of the Weston Park Weather Station at Sheffield Museums.
The mercury in the thermometer at the weather station hit 25.9C by 4.30pm, which is the highest temperature ever recorded in the city for that time of year.
The previous May 1 temperature record of 24.2C was recorded in 1966, Mr McLean, whose full title is Curator of Natural Science, told The Star.
Last month, the UK enjoyed its sunniest ever April since records began in 1910, with 47 per cent more sunshine hours than the long-term meteorological average, according to provisional Met Office figures.
Mr McLean explains in Sheffield, however, it was only the second sunniest April on record, with a total of 225.5 hours recorded at Weston Park.
It follows April 2015 in the record books, with a total of 258.6 hours of sunshine.
With 187 hours of sunshine, March 2025 was the sunniest on record.
The hundreds of hours of sunshine mean it has also been the driest spring for 87 years, with just 77.7mm of rainfall recorded between February and April 2025, said Mr McLean.
Mr McLean is the fifth custodian of the Weston Park Weather Station, Sheffield Museums.
Despite world wars, pandemics and recessions, the weather station has never experienced a break in recording since it was set up by the curator of Weston Park Museum, Elijah Howarth, in September 1882.
Consequently, it is one of the longest running weather stations in the country.