Bank on the weather
Britain bakes... and more to come
IF you thought Sizzling Sunday was a scorcher, stand by for today’s May Day Bank Holiday meltdown.
Record-breaking temperatures are expected and some parts of the country could be even hotter than Mexico.
The balmy weather is expected to continue through the week... until rain and thunderstorms finally usher in much cooler conditions on Friday.
Temperatures could hit 29C (84.2F) today, as many people round off the three-day weekend enjoying an incredible 15 hours of “unbroken sunshine”, the Met Office said.
That would put Honolulu, at 26C, and Mexico City, at a mere 23C, firmly in the shade.
Dubbed the Roast From Russia, the hot air is arriving from 30C southern Russia and is banishing memories of the freezing Beast from the East which struck in late February.
The South East, East Anglia and the East Midlands will feel the effect of the hot spell the most, the Met Office confirmed. Scotland and Northern Ireland will be a little cooler but eastern parts of Scotland will reach the low 20s.
Forecaster Marco Petagna said: “It will certainly be the warmest early May Bank Holiday on record, with 29C possible in the South East. There will be plenty of sunshine for most.
“On Tuesday, 28C is possible and it will be in the low 20s from Wednesday with a lot of fine weather in the days ahead. There’s just a chance of a shower on Tuesday and Thursday.”
Yesterday’s scorcher was great news for most as bathers cooled off at beaches
and in ponds or bagged space in local parks. But it was a different story for pro cyclists enduring day four of the Tour de Yorkshire, as they laboured up a series of tough climbs including the steep hill in Haworth.
Today’s sunshine is likely to encourage more leisurely recreational cycling for many, along with another rush for the beaches. Around 125,000 visitors are expected to hit Brighton, with 50,000 at Blackpool and 50,000 basking on Bournemouth’s sand.
Those planning a day trip are warned that rail engineering works are once again causing disruption. More tailbacks are due on coastal routes including the A23 to Brighton, A31 to Dorset, A30 to Cornwall and M55 to Blackpool. A lack of rail replacement buses yesterday left terminals at Gatwick in chaos as returning travellers tried to get home. As stores reported a rush on barbecue equipment, and outdoor parties remain in full swing, firefighters are warning of leaving still-warm barbecues unattended. It comes after a house went up in flames in Irlam, Salford. It is understood a charcoal barbecue left in the garden set fire to a gazebo. It spread to the French doors before reaching the loft space. Paul Etches, of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Fortunately nobody was hurt but it demonstrates just how quickly fire can spread. Always keep a bucket of water nearby.”
The advice comes as the Met Office released its forecast for the next three months. Briefing councils, transport chiefs and business leaders, it said: “For May to July, above-average temperatures are more probable than below-average.”
The Weather Outlook forecaster Brian Gaze predicted: “This summer could be the warmest for five years and 31C could be seen from June.”
Finally, hay fever sufferers are warned that today will be the worst of the year so far. Pollen counts will soar with the “perfect storm” of warm, breezy weather at the peak of tree pollen season.