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Britons didn’t let the wet weather dampen their Bank Holiday spirits today as they enjoyed the first May holiday weekend for three years without pandemic restrictions.
People braved the showers walking on Fistral beach in Newquay, Cornwall, while umbrellas were on full display at the Central Promenade in Blackpool.
Elsewhere, Wessex Morris Men celebrated May Day dawn above the head of the Cerne Abbas Giant and others gathered on Glastonbury Tor for the Gaelic festival of Beltane.
Saturday morning saw a cloudy start, before heavy rain hit south-western England by the afternoon, with northern England and Scotland experiencing showers.
The rain will clear in most areas by the evening, with spots of rain still for south-western England and for north-eastern Scotland.
As the night progresses, mist and fog will develop widely, and by the early hours, it will be dry for all. It will be a cloudy night, with the odd clear spell in places and light winds.
Bank Holiday Monday will be mostly dry and cloudy to start, with light rain for eastern Scotland and north-eastern England. Some parts of the UK will experience sunny intervals, including the East Midlands and Western Isles of Scotland.
Rain and scattered showers will spread across the country through the afternoon, but by the evening, showers will be confined to northern and central England.
Temperatures could reach up to 64.4F (18C) on Monday, although they are not expected to return to the highs seen earlier in the month, as rain gives way to dry weather across the country.
David Oliver, Met Office deputy chief meteorologist, told The Sun: ‘A good deal of dry weather is expected on Monday with most areas only seeing some isolated showers and mild temperatures, widely in the mid-teens.’
According to The Mirror, forecasters have also predicted a nine-day mini-heatwave starting on May 5 as temperatures could reach 20C to coincide with the local elections.
Rain and scattered showers will spread across the country through the afternoon, but by the evening, showers will be confined to northern and central England (two women shelter from the rain in Cornwall)
People brave the showers walking their dogs on Fistral beach in Newquay, Cornwall, today
Umbrellas were on full display at the Central Promenade in Blackpool to protect against the showers
Saturday morning saw a cloudy start, before heavy rain hit south-western England by the afternoon, with northern England and Scotland experiencing showers (two women stroll along Blackpool Central Pier with umbrellas)
The Wessex Morris Men celebrate May Day dawn above the head of the Cerne Abbas Giant before parading through the village
People gather on Glastonbury Tor to celebrate Beltane – the Gaelic May Day festival
The Bank Holiday also triggered a pub rush, with 50million pints expected to be drunk in pubs over the long weekend, according to industry sales data.
A source at a major UK pub company said: ‘Our pubs had to get extra orders in. It’s a bumper weekend thanks to one of the first Bank Holidays since Covid. Drinkers are making the most of it.’
Luke Dearden, general manager of The Sydney Arms, Chelsea, west London, said: ‘We’ve had to increase beer orders by 20 to 25 per cent this weekend. Breweries have been making sure we have enough stock. It’s a big weekend.’
A spokesperson from the British Beer & Pub Association said: ‘The May bank holiday is providing a welcome boost to pubs, with customers enjoying their local.’
This month has been the latest in the string of dry Aprils, with rainfall about 35 per cent lower than average, according to the Met Office.
Predicted highs of below 68F (20C) may prove a disappointment to some after the Easter heatwave. On Good Friday, the temperature recorded at St James’ Park in London was higher than in Ibiza.
‘What we’ve seen this month is a long period of time with the UK under the influence of high pressure, bringing calm and settled weather, especially in the south,’ the National Climate Information Centre’s Dr Mark McCarthy said.
However, this weekend’s ‘mixed bag of spring weather’ – which Mr Miles called ‘pretty standard’ for late April – marks a return to normality after last year’s Bank Holiday washout.
Visitors enjoying a walk along the beach as light rain falls at the seaside resort of West Bay in Dorset on a wet overcast day during the Bank Holiday weekend
The rain will clear in most areas by the evening, with spots of rain still for south-western England and for north-eastern Scotland (big coats were needed, even on one dog in Cornwall)
As the night progresses, mist and fog will develop widely, and by the early hours, it will be dry for all. It will be a cloudy night, with the odd clear spell in places and light winds (Blackpool Central Prom)
Bank Holiday Monday will be mostly dry and cloudy to start, with light rain for eastern Scotland and north-eastern England. Some parts of the UK will experience sunny intervals, including the East Midlands and Western Isles of Scotland (surfers on Fistral beach in Cornwall)
Beltane day marks the beginning of summer and was traditionally when cattle were driven out to the summer pastures
May Day, a traditional day of celebrations for centuries, is most associated with towns and villages celebrating springtime fertility
Visitors with ice cream outside a harbourside kiosk as light rain falls at the seaside resort of West Bay in Dorset
Temperatures could reach up to 18C (64.4F) on Monday, although they are not expected to return to the highs seen earlier in the month, as rain gives way to dry weather across the country (RNLI were out in force on Fistral Beach)
The Bank Holiday also triggered a pub rush, with 50million pints expected to be drunk in pubs over the long weekend, according to industry sales data (revellers walk on the beach in Cornwall)
A starling flies on to mans hand to take a bite of his pasty as light rain falls at the seaside resort of West Bay in Dorset
This month has been the latest in the string of dry Aprils, with rainfall about 35 per cent lower than average, according to the Met Office (a family enjoying a walk along the seafront in Dorset)
Predicted highs of below 20C (68F) may prove a disappointment to some after the Easter heatwave. On Good Friday, the temperature recorded at St James’ Park in London was higher than in Ibiza (two swimmers enjoy a dip inn the sea in Dorset)
‘What we’ve seen this month is a long period of time with the UK under the influence of high pressure, bringing calm and settled weather, especially in the south,’ the National Climate Information Centre’s Dr Mark McCarthy said (visitors enjoying a walk along the pier in Dorset)
However, this weekend’s ‘mixed bag of spring weather’ – which Mr Miles called ‘pretty standard’ for late April – marks a return to normality after last year’s Bank Holiday washout (surfers at Fistral beach)
Source: dailymail
