Thunderstorms are expected to bring an abrupt end to sunny bank holiday weather on Sunday, according to the Met Office.
Temperatures are expected to reach 21°C (69.8°F) and 20°C (68°F) in London and Reading on what is likely to be the best day of spring sunshine today.
Although many may think summer arrived early this morning, forecasters urged people to get outside while they can as less stable conditions loom on the horizon.
The Met Office has issued a yellow thunderstorm warning for Wales, the East and West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber as well as large areas of the East and South East. England.
On Sunday, between 20 and 30 mm of rain could fall in a few hours in the affected areas, and frequent hail and lightning strikes could occur.
OXFORSHIRE: Cyclist enjoys a ride in seasonal weather this morning
Bank holiday morning is off to a good start with some areas expected to reach temperatures of 21°C.
Although many may think summer has arrived early this morning, forecasters have urged people to get outside while they can as yellow thunderstorms loom on the horizon.
Residents in areas with a yellow warning should expect flooding and disruption as storms occur between noon and 8 p.m. that day.
Spray and flash flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and an increased likelihood of power cuts, the Met Office reports.
Met Office forecaster Craig Snell said: “Overall it’s quite a mixed picture.
“Saturday is probably the best of the bunch, but there will still be some sunshine on Sunday and Monday, but we will definitely avoid the showers.
“Be aware of some thunderstorms, particularly in parts of northern and central England and north-east Wales.”
Despite stormy weather on the horizon, the end of May public holidays have had a new start as some Britons benefited from rays of sunshine this morning.
A sporty cyclist once took advantage of the sunshine to embark on a morning ride in Dunsden, Oxfordshire.
Although the start of the day may be bright, gray clouds and precipitation are expected to appear later in the day.
Temperatures are expected to reach 21°C (69.8°F) and 20°C (68°F) in London and Reading on what is likely to be the best day of spring sunshine today.
Residents in areas with a yellow warning should expect flooding and disruption as the storms occur between noon and 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Some areas around Plymouth are expected to see between 2mm and 4mm of showers.
Elsewhere in East Anglia and Lincolnshire, the bank holiday weekend is expected to be gloomy due to the shift, as showers will ensue for most of Saturday.
Forecasters predict that northern Scotland will be much drier, but skies will be cloudy.
The wet and gloomy weather is expected to continue until Bank Holiday Monday as showers are expected to continue.
Heavy rainfall is also forecast in northern England and Scotland.
The sunny morning comes shortly after Britons were urged to prepare for travel chaos during what is expected to be the busiest late May bank holiday weekend since the start of the pandemic.
An estimated 20 million leisure trips will be made by car between yesterday and Monday, which would be the highest figure for a late May bank holiday weekend since 2019.
The worst day for traveling was probably yesterday, as the start of the long weekend coincided with the start of semesters for many schools, according to the RAC.
Drivers leaving on Friday have been advised to delay their departure until 6pm to avoid the worst queues, while the busiest period today is expected to be between 3pm and 6pm.
P&O Ferries has warned of “long queues at border controls” at Dover, adding: “If you miss your sailing we will transfer you to the next available one once at our check-in booths.
LONDON: Groups are enjoying the warm weather in the capital today and enjoying food and drinks at Regent’s Canal yesterday.
BERKSHIRE: A canoeist enjoys the sunshine today as walkers stroll along the shore at Caversham on Friday
Friday traffic on the Blackwall Tunnel approach to the A102(M) in Greenwich, south east London
Families queue to check in for flights at Terminal Two at Manchester Airport yesterday morning
Crowds of people pictured queuing at St Pancras International station in London as thousands tried to escape for the bank holiday weekend on Friday.
Rail passengers also faced delays on some routes this morning, including:
- London Overground: no service between Surrey Quays and Clapham Junction;
- Bakerloo Line: Delays between Elephant & Castle and Queen’s Park due to train shortage;
- West Midlands: delays between Birmingham and Wolverhampton due to attempted theft;
- Merseyrail: No service between Formby and Southport due to broken train;
- Great Western Railway: Delays between Truro and Falmouth Docks due to train problem.
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