Holidaymakers got stuck in hours-long queues earlier on the hottest day of the year so far.
Traffic at Dover is now “free flowing”, the port has announced after new EU border checks were suspended to ease congestion at the start of a hot bank holiday weekend.
Holidaymakers got stuck in hours-long queues earlier on the hottest day of the year so far.
The village of Frittenden, in Kent, hit 30.3C on Saturday, with forecasters saying temperatures would continue to rise, bringing forward the possibility that multiple records could be broken over the coming days.
The highs already seen on Saturday are warmer than the temperatures forecast in Athens in Greece, Split in Croatia and even Victoria in the Seychelles.
In a bid to ease waits at the Port of Dover earlier on Saturday, the French authorities suspended extra EU border checks under its new entry/exit system (EES).
EES involves people from third-party countries such as the UK having their fingerprints registered and a photograph taken to enter the Schengen Area, which consists of 29 European countries, mainly in the EU.
In an update on Saturday afternoon, the port said: “The Port and its approach roads are now free flowing on our peak day of the May half-term getaway weekend.”
It thanked the Police Aux Frontieres for supporting efforts to resolve long waits by suspending the extra checks.
The port said anyone who missed their ferry crossing because of queues can travel on the next available slot free of charge.
— Port of Dover Travel (@PoD_travelnews) May 23, 2026
The disruption came amid what is expected to be an exceptionally hot May bank holiday weekend.
According to the Met Office, records could be broken for the hottest May day in the UK and England, currently 32.8C; the hottest May day in Wales, currently 30.6C; as well as the UK and England’s hottest bank holiday, which sits for now at 33.3C.
Speaking to the Press Association in St James’s Park in London, Jo Stockley, who was enjoying the heat with her husband Robin, said the weather was “amazing”, adding: “I’m quite enjoying it at the moment.”
She said: “It just started, right? Ask me the same question in a couple of weeks and you might get a different answer, but at the moment, brilliant.”
Alexi Antonino, who is visiting London from Detroit, Michigan, with her son TJ, said the heat feels “normal” for them, but also that the UK does not have the same air conditioning as in the US.
She said: “It’s very hot or very cold where we live, so this is kind of normal.
“In the States, we have air conditioning blasting, so we’re coming off of a very cold winter, so it’s a little bit nice right now.”
She then told reporters: “I hope you get some relief soon with the weather.”
Some areas in the UK may experience cloudier conditions on Saturday as a cold front could bring some patchy drizzle to north-west Scotland, Northern Ireland and some western coastal regions.
Peaks of 31C are expected on Sunday.
Heat is building this weekend, exceptionally so for late May 🌡️
Several temperature records could be broken:– UK/England hottest May day (currently 32.8°C)– Wales hottest May day (currently 30.6°C)– UK/England hottest bank holiday (currently 33.3°C) pic.twitter.com/OJyiBY5TOL
— Met Office (@metoffice) May 23, 2026
The MCC, which owns Lord’s, said it has “decided to dispense with the requirement for gentlemen to wear jackets in the pavilion” for two Vitality Blast matches on Sunday.
The current May temperature record of 32.8C was logged in Camden Square, north London, in 1922, and in Horsham in West Sussex, Tunbridge Wells in Kent, and Regent’s Park in central London in 1944.
UV levels will also be high across much of the UK over the bank holiday weekend, with a UV index of seven expected in Cardiff and London on Saturday, as well as in Manchester on Sunday – meaning anyone enjoying the outdoors is advised to apply sun cream.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued amber heat health alerts on Friday morning for the East Midlands, West Midlands, the East of England, London and the South East.
The alerts will remain in place until 5pm on Wednesday and replace less severe yellow alerts, which were previously issued.
The alerts mean there is likely to be “a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions” and increased demand on all health and social care services, according to the UKHSA website.
Yellow alerts have been issued for the North East and North West, Yorkshire and Humber, and the South West.
The less severe alert means significant impacts on health and social care services are possible.
