There will be plenty of warm sunshine, dry weather and heat finally as May ends. The weather looks fine for the Bank Holiday weekend. Once Friday's rain fades you'll be able to ditch your coat.
Don’t worry if you have woken to grey clouds and rain, the sunshine and warmth are still on the way. This frontal rain has edged in from Ireland but ahead of it, pressure is rising. That will establish the drier, more settled weather for the Bank Holiday weekend and keep any more weather fronts at bay. Warm air continues to feed up through the UK, it already feels different after the endless May nip in the air. Temperatures will reach the high teens and low twenties with strong sunshine and a few areas could see around 25C by early next week.
Today
The main area of rain is over the western half of the UK. There is heavier rain through the Irish Sea and over Snowdonia. Patchy rain and dampness for Northern Ireland, most of Wales, NW England, the West Midlands and the West Country and SW Scotland with a lot of cloud. There is sunshine this morning for parts of Scotland into Northumberland although pockets of low cloud around the NE and Orkney. Eastern Britain will stay drier and see breaks in the cloud. In the sunnier spells it will feel warm, and temperatures will leap up, potentially reaching 21 or 22C in the warmest spots. Yesterday Wisley, Surrey observed 22C (72F).
The rain does fade during the day but western Wales down to north Devon and around the Bristol Channel stay damp and murky all day. The frontal band continues to weaken. For this evening, eastern coastal counties of Britain should be dry with light winds. There will still be more cloud elsewhere and patchy light rain lingering. Mainly for Wales, SW England and Northern Ireland so if you are out this evening the air is warmer than it was last weekend, but any dampness won’t help. Yet the evening sunshine in the east will add to the warmer atmosphere.
For the long weekend, there will be light winds, a lot of dry weather and sunshine and rising temperatures with high pressure over the UK
Bank Holiday weekend
Saturday
The last of the faded front will keep cloud over western Britain and Northern Ireland for Saturday morning. There will be a little light rain still for Wales and the Midlands early on but that disappears. Low cloud will have again crept in off the North Sea but there will also be bright or sunny skies in the north and east. A few showers break out in the afternoon, but not many. Saturday will be a bit of a mixed day. Some areas keep the cloud, but others become warm in the sunshine with temperatures tipping into the twenties. Again, round 22C maximum.
Sunday
There will be more sunshine across the UK on Sunday but some stubborn low cloud near North Sea coasts which will have crept in again overnight. A bit more of an easterly breeze will pick up for SE England and along the eastern English Channel. Still light but just keeping the temperatures around the coasts in the teens. Inland and to the west it will be a lovely day with sunshine, warmth and dry. Such a change. Temperatures should reach 23 or 24C with many areas being warm in the high teens and low twenties.
Bank Holiday Monday
Monday could be even warmer. The frontal band which had looked to intrude from the NW, now looks to be held at bay by the high pressure. So, another fine, sunny, warm day. Up to 24 or 25C. Greater London, along the M4 and Merseyside, Greater Manchester areas all looking very warm. A bit more of a breeze from the east or south as the day goes on.
Next week
Beyond that, if you have half term plans in the UK, the weather continues to be fine, and very warm. There could be changes from the SW after midweek with heavy showers threatening but for now, let’s reflect on a sunny warm forecast for a Bank Holiday weekend and find something to wear. Remember the sunscreen.
