UK weather: Hot spell to end over May bank holiday as temperatures fall sharply

Saturday, 3 May 2025 05:50

The UK's summer-like temperatures are set to come to an abrupt end over the bank holiday weekend.

Saturday will remain warm and sunny for most but it will feel fresher, with highs of 22C (71F) in the South, 18C (64F) in the North and around 14C (57F) in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The big drop comes on Sunday, when the maximum is expected to be 16C in the South West. However, much of the country will languish between 8C to 14C.

Monday is a similar picture, but it will turn cloudier for many areas - and drizzle is forecast in the South East.

It will be a stark contrast to Thursday, when the UK had its warmest 1 May ever - with Kew Gardens in London recording 29.3C.

Jonathan Vautrey, a forecaster at the Met Office, said temperatures on Sunday and Monday would likely be below average for this time of year.

"Northerly winds are going to be driving in those much cooler and fresher conditions across all areas of the UK," he said.

Mr Vautrey added: "That northerly wind is coming down from the North Sea, it's going to be filtering in a reasonable amount of cloud across eastern coastal areas, both Scotland and England. So here, temperature is going to be held back quite a bit.

"When you add on the strength of that wind as well, it is going to be much cooler and much chillier compared to recent days."

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Forecasters say the recent hot spell has been due to the jet stream remaining stuck north of the country, allowing high pressure to settle.

Last month was also the sunniest April in the UK since records began in 1910, according to provisional Met Office figures, with 47% more sunshine hours than the long-term average, and the third-warmest April on record.

Sky News

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