Sunny Saturday! Brits pack out UK beaches as they enjoy 21C sunshine on first day of Bank Holiday weekend
- The Met Office has issued yellow thunderstorm warnings for swathes of the UK
- 20mm to 30mm of rain, flooding and hail is expected in affected areas
Brits have flocked to beaches dotted throughout the UK as the sunshine beams and temperatures hit 21C.
Thunderstorms are set to bring the sunny bank holiday weather to a screeching halt on Sunday for Wales and parts of England, according to the Met Office.
However, droves of Brits have headed out to enjoy the sunshine while they still can, with huge crowds descending on a seaside resort in Weymouth.
Temperatures are forecasted to hit 21C (69.8F) both in London and Reading at around 5pm today in what is likely to be the best day of the Spring sun.
Although holidaymakers may be basking in the sunshine now, Sunday’s weather is set be a different tale with 20mm to 30mm of rain expected to pour.
Wales, East and West Midlands, Yorkshire and Humber as well as large swathes of East and South East England can expect thunderstorms from midday until 8pm on Sunday.
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People in areas with a yellow warning should expect frequent hail, lightning strikes. flooding and disruption, as the storms occur.
Spray and sudden flooding could cause difficult driving conditions and an increased likelihood of power cuts, the Met Office reports.
Met Office forecaster Craig Snell said: ‘Overall, it’s a pretty mixed picture.
‘Saturday’s probably the best of the bunch, but there will still be some sunshine around on Sunday and Monday, but we’ll certainly be dodging downpours.
‘Watch out for some thunderstorms especially across parts of northern and central England and north-east Wales too.’
Despite stormy weather on the horizon, the late May Bank holiday began with to a glowing start.
One sporty cyclist has already made the most of the sunshine embarking on a morning ride in Dunsden, Oxfordshire.
However, event though Brits may be enjoying the weather going into the afternoon, grey clouds and rainfall are expected to emerge later on today.
Certain areas surrounding Plymouth are forecasted to experience between 2mm and 4mm of downpour.
Elsewhere in East Anglia and Lincolnshire the bank holiday weekend is forecasted to be dreary from the offset as showers will ensue for most of Saturday.
Forecasters predict the North of Scotland will be far drier, however the sky will be cloudy.
The wet and dreary weather is expected to carry on into Bank Holiday Monday as showers are expected to continue.
Heavy bouts of rainfall are also forecasted for the north of England as well as Scotland.
This comes shortly after Brits were urged to prepare for travel chaos on what is set to be the busiest late May bank holiday weekend since the start of the pandemic.
It is estimated 20 million leisure trips will be made by car between yesterday and Monday, which would be the most for a late May Bank holiday weekend since 2019.
The worst day to travel was likely yesterday because the start of the long weekend coincided with the beginning of half-term for many schools, according to the RAC.
Drivers leaving Friday were advised to delay setting off until 6pm to miss the worst of the queues, while the busiest time today is expected to be from 3pm until 6pm.
P&O Ferries warned of ‘long queues at border controls’ at Dover, adding: ‘If you miss your sailing, we will transfer you to the next available once at our check-in booths.’
Rail passengers were also facing delays on some routes this morning, including:
- London Overground: No service between Surrey Quays and Clapham Junction;
- Bakerloo line: Delays from Elephant & Castle to Queen’s Park due to train shortage;
- West Midlands: Delays from Birmingham to Wolverhampton due to theft attempt;
- Merseyrail: No service between Formby and Southport due to a broken-down train;
- Great Western Railway: Delays from Truro to Falmouth Docks due to a train fault.
