Brits hoping for sunny weather this bank holiday weekend are likely to be left disappointed with a deluge of rain set to hit the country. After the sunniest April on record and a bright start to May, the promising start to spring looks set to come to an abrupt halt with a barrage of wet weather.
New maps released by WXCharts.com show a large weather front approaching from the Atlantic in the early hours of Saturday, with poor weather likely to continue throughout the bank holiday weekend. A Met Office long-range forecast for the period said: “As we head into the bank holiday weekend and following week, a change in weather type is expected as unsettled conditions develop, with weather systems moving in from the Atlantic. The change is likely to overspread most areas through Saturday, with many seeing spells of rain and low cloud, and it will feel humid.
“This will herald a changeable spell as further systems come east. Drier and brighter intervals are likely between systems but with showers, some of which could be heavy/thundery. The wettest weather will tend to be toward the west.”
The Met Office’s Deputy Chief Meteorologist Mark Sidaway warns that the weekend will not be a “washout”, but the country should brace itself for “unsettled conditions.”
He said: ““The high pressure that has been around for the last few weeks will slowly lose its grip on the UK this week, bringing a change to more unsettled conditions with many areas seeing rain or showers, ending the prolonged dry spell.
“The change comes this weekend, with weather systems moving in from the Atlantic, arriving from the west probably later on Friday and through Saturday. They will bring with them spells of rain, which may be heavy at times, with a risk of strong winds in places.
“These conditions will gradually spread across the UK on Saturday, with Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday likely seeing sunshine and showers.
“So, whilst the bank holiday won’t be a complete washout, with some sunshine expected, this weekend represents a notable shift from the fine and settled weather pattern that has dominated so far this month.”
According to weather maps provided by WXCharts.com, much of the country will see rain across Saturday, as the first part of the weather front passes from west to east.
On Sunday, rain will become more scattered, before returning in heavier, larger patches on Monday.