Why Bonfire Night will be a damp squib
WITH Bonfire Night falling on a Sunday this year, many of us will be heading out to celebrate tonight.
But large parts of the country can expect heavy rain, hail and thunder, and for all it will be a chilly evening, so woollies and wet weather gear will be essential, according to forecasters.
Following unsettled overnight weather, drier and colder conditions will move in with a slight frost possible in the east and south of England.
But in the west of the country, from Devon and Cornwall through Wales and northwest England, there is the chance of heavy showers. Met Office forecaster Charlie Powell said: ‘It’s going to be cold everywhere tonight so people going to bonfire parties should wrap up warm.
‘Areas in the east will be generally clear and cold, with temperatures down in the low single figures and, in some places, a degree or two below freezing.
‘In the western half, there will be heavy showers which could include hail and thunder, and cold winds which could make it feel as cold as in the east.’
Mr Powell said tomorrow will generally be drier and brighter across the country, although isolated showers are possible. Temperatures could fall as low as -4C (25F) tomorrow night across England and Wales, and -6C (21F) in Scotland.
Next week will begin settled in England and Wales, but a band of wind and rain arriving in Scotland and Northern Ireland is expected to move south from Tuesday.
An 80-year-old tradition of white residents in Lewes, East Sussex, ‘ blacking up’ as spear- carrying Zulu warriors for a big Bonfire Night parade has been scrapped after it was branded ‘incredibly offensive’.
More than 1,200 people signed a petition branding the tradition racist and the Lewes Borough Bonfire Society has agreed to alter its costumes for tonight’s event after a Zulu dance troupe taking part took offence.
Thanda Gumede, 32, leader of the group Zulu Tradition, sent messages to a member of the society asking them to consider ‘using a different colour that is drastically different from black – perhaps “green up” or other bright colours?’
The organisers have agreed to take the advice, but after the row erupted over the petition earlier in the week, society chairman Jason Winter said: ‘It’s a lot of white do-gooders jumping on a bandwagon.’