May Bank Holiday scorcher odds on to be hottest on record as temperatures to soar above 21C – but it’s not all good news
THE May Bank Holiday looks set to soar above 21C and could be the hottest on record – but it’s not sun skies ahead.
England today could see its hottest day of the year so far and temperatures are predicted to rise even more over the weekend.
The Met Office said many people will experience bright and warm conditions, reaching up to 20C or 21C in southern areas.
But people looking to bask in the sun may be left disappointed with thunderstorms expected across parts of the country.
Senior operations meteorologist Marco Petagna said: “We are stuck between an area of high pressure to the north east of the UK and lower pressure to the west.
“Warm air from the Atlantic has brought a lot of moisture too which will help trigger showers.
“We are looking at potentially heavy and thundery showers on Saturday in Northern Ireland, north west England and Wales which will tend to ease going into the evening.
“In those areas we could see some of the warmest sunshine away from the showers with temperatures in the mid to high teens.
“It’s certainly not a heat wave, but it’s a spell of some warmer weather.”
More showers are expected on Sunday towards the west, although the south east is likely to stay dry according to forecasters.
By Monday, drier conditions will develop from the west, with showers concentrated across eastern areas.
Although temperatures have risen in most areas, Scotland is expected to see a cooler day on Saturday before returning closer to average temperatures on Sunday and Monday.
High pressure through the early part of next week is likely to keep the number of showers down, and early predictions for next weekend suggest a mixture of sunshine and showers for the coronation in London, with temperatures expected to reach 17-20C.
Meanwhile, bookmaker Coral has cut its odds to 5/4, from 5/2, on the upcoming May bank holiday being the hottest on record.
The firm makes it 2-1, from 4-1, for next month to be a record-hot May.
Coral’s John Hill said: “With the hottest day of the year expected over the next few days, and temperatures set to hover around the 20C mark, we have slashed the odds on this weekend being a record-hot May bank holiday.”