CARNIVAL WASHOUT
Chilly winds and torrents of rain sweep in to put dampener on holiday weekend
UMBRELLAS and plastic ponchos were put to good use yesterday as festival-goers tried to ignore the traditional Bank Holiday weather.
Britain was drenched in almost two inches of rain as tens of thousands took to the streets for Notting Hill Carnival.
Meanwhile, music fans packed up in the mud after a damp end to the Reading and Leeds festivals.
Even the Pope had to battle the elements on his visit to Ireland, where hundreds of thousands of Roman Catholics turned out to welcome him.
Parts of the UK faced 40mph winds while areas of Wales and the South West bore the brunt of the downpours.
Temperatures struggled to reach 15C (59F) – something of a shock after this summer’s heatwave, which saw temperatures top 30C (86F).
The heavy rains hammered down on the hardy souls at Notting Hill Carnival – Europe’s largest street festival – where party-goers danced in bikinis and exotic costumes. The showers may have come as a relief to a driver whose car got caught in a paint fight that marked the official start of the carnival.
Meanwhile, at the water-logged Leeds Festival, downpours forced revellers in hot pants and bikinis to dig out their kagools and wellies.
And motorcycle race fans at Silverstone’s MotoGP were left disappointed after torrential rain forced the cancellation of yesterday’s event. Heavy rain on Saturday, which had seen a number of riders aquaplane in dangerous conditions, left organisers digging drains overnight in a desperate attempt to dry the tracks.
The gloomy weather also forced the RAF’s Red Arrows to cancel a display at the Rhyl Air Show in North Wales
Paul Knightley of Meteogroup said that August’s ‘ more typical’ weather had ended any hopes of 2018 recording the UK’s hottest ever summer.
The outlook is decidedly brighter for today, with warm and dry weather predicted across much of the UK. Meteogroup said light rain could affect northern and western parts of the UK, while southern and eastern areas will remain largely dry.
Bright and sunny spells are expected, especially in the evening when the fresh westerly winds will begin to ease.
Temperatures across most of the country will be in the high teens, with some parts reaching the low twenties. Tomorrow will be mostly dry with some cloud cover. However, showers will move into Northern Ireland and western Scotland through the day, before spreading south on Wednesday.
‘Dig out their kagools and wellies’