A blistering bank holiday – but pack your brolly
THE early May Bank Holiday this year was a record-breaker, with temperatures hitting just short of 84F (29C) in west London. Will we see more of the same for this weekend’s public holiday? Well, yes and no.
The record for this end of May extra day off is 82.7F (28.2C), recorded in Norwich, and there is a pretty good chance that it might be smashed somewhere in south-east England tomorrow. But if you are planning a countryside picnic or day at the beach, you need to factor in the chance of grey, humid conditions, as well as thunderstorms, some of them accompanied by torrential rain.
What is causing this curious cocktail is a low pressure system working its way slowly up and across us from continental Europe. The air it brings is warm, hence the high temperatures, but mixed in there too is a thundery trough, which will haunt southern and central England, and parts of Wales all through this long weekend.
Further northern high pressure should produce something more stable and enjoyable, though along the eastern coast there is still a bit of bite in the onshore breezes off the North Sea.
Today, the mercury will look pretty healthy anywhere from London 75F (24C) through Norwich 74F (23C) to Cardiff, Edinburgh and Glasgow 72F (22C), with Aberdeen trailing at 61F (16C). But the sun will only come in spells. Bank Holiday Monday will start murky across much of England and Wales, but the temperatures will push up in places to 82F (28C) and possibly even a notch or two beyond.
By Thursday, high pressure should be in control over much of the UK, bringing warm conditions. Perfect for the beach if you are on half-term week.