Less than a week til Glastonbury and this could be a key packing weekend. As the site continues it's preparations, is your tent up to it
Friday 19th June (next update coming Mon 22nd)
So far June has been slightly cooler than average in Somerset thanks to continual airflow off the Atlantic but with more sunshine. If you are after a hot Glasto week we need air from Europe to warm things up and any sign of high pressure means settled and dry conditions but not always wall to wall sunshine. It looks like the weather will be comfortable enough next week for Somerset with high pressure not too far away.
Most festival goers will be thinking about their feet, possible tan, getting soaked, will the tent blow down or do I need my sunhat. Morning temperatures affect how long you can actually bear to stay in your tent and an evening chill can curtail your wanderings. For the organisers there is the whole mud bath or dustbowl predicament of the site which is all part of the Glastonbury charm for festival goers.
So far nothing extreme has shown itself in the forecast charts, not completely unsettled, or too cool with threat of prolonged heavy rain. So good news for tent pitching, and a comfortable nights sleep, but there is no sign of a steady high pressure bringing totally dry and hot conditions. So the forecast wavers in-between. Pre-festival there could be heavy rain on Monday but a fine drying day on Tuesday
Forecast Summary – Overall, it’s not looking too bad.
There does seem to be lengthy dry and bright spells with temperatures of 16 to 18C, possibly up to 21C when the sunshine gets through all the cloud. A few showers about with heavier rain for Thursday night.
Detail
Weds 24th is looking more humid, possibly muggy with bright spells, small chance of a shower in the afternoon and a fine, dry evening
Thurs- Still could be warmth around but cloud is increasing from the west. Heavier rain is forecast to move over northern UK during the day and then heads to Somerset on Thursday night. So the day should be fine but the late rain could be heavy.
End of the week – a lot of fine, dry and bright weather around. Good sunny spells light winds and temperature around 18C with dry nights down to 11C, a bit cool but not bad.
At this stage don’t abandon the idea of taking your wellies. There is a positive slant to the forecast but we still have a few days to go and the rain for Thursday night could come earlier, be further south etc and make a wet start for Friday, you can follow J10's regular updates on the forum for another view. Also remember even if it is quite cloudy, the strong June sunshine can still peek out and you can still burn through the cloud and that the pollen levels are high.
What if it does rain? How can you make sure your tent doesn't become a sodden mess? I had a chat with the camping specialists, Go Outdoors, and they had this to say 'We believe that festivals can and should be enjoyed, rain or shine. If you prepare for whatever the weather can throw at you now, you can concentrate all your time working out how to avoid those annoying band clashes. Before you head out to a festival there are a few things we recommend you consider to make sure you get the most out of the event'.
Tips for camping in festival rain:
Practice pitch your tent before any trip. Check for faults, check it’s all there. Do you need a mallet, extra pegs
Always buy a double skinned tent (outer and inner separate) this helps to prevent water coming in when touched from the inside.
A tent with a porch area is ideal for taking off muddy wellies and keeping your sleeping area dry and clean.
Use your tents guy ropes, these will keep the tent secure in high winds, and help water to run off, even if people trip over them at night
Don’t wear jeans. Denim takes a long time to dry, look for lightweight materials.
Take bin bags. These are useful for keeping muddy things separate, and keeping dry things dry.
Take duct tape. This makes for a great quick fix for any tears/rips/leaks that may occur.
If you have to pack away your tent wet, make sure you dry it as soon as possible to prevent mould. Take it home.
Freshly back from Guide camp myself I can't recommend highly enough a roll mat. Ear plugs, sleep mask and torch are helpful, although a good deal to drink at a festival could render the first 2 unnecessary.
I'll have updates for you next week, as well as a look at how the food and drink sponsors prepare for Glastonbury.
