Many of those attending the 16,000 street parties planned for the platinum jubilee weekend have been warned to expect showers but not the kind of lengthy downpours that washed out the diamond jubilee celebrations in 2012.
The best of the weather is set for the start of the bank holiday on Thursday when most areas of the UK will enjoy periods of dry and fine weather, according to the Met Office.
But on Friday rain is forecast for parts of south-west England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and there is also a chance of rain in some central areas. The best of the weather on Friday is forecast for the south-east where temperatures will peak at 22C, say forecasters.
After that they say the weekend weather is more difficult to predict. The Met Office said a “plume of warm air from the continent could influence the weather in southern areas from Friday night, bringing overnight showers that could linger for a time early on Saturday”.
Its jubilee weekend forecast said: “The main source of uncertainty is how far north this plume of warm air will extend, bringing with it an increased risk of some showery outbreaks through the weekend.”
Although it is unsettled the forecast looks set to be much brighter than in 2012 when hours of downpours meant soggy bunting in much of the UK as hundreds of street parties were driven indoors. Then the weather forced the cancellation of a royal flypast in London as the Queen braved heavy rain without an umbrella in a boat on the Thames.
On Tuesday, Helen Caughey, deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said most areas would enjoy fine spells for at least part of the weekend, but she warned the “odd, heavy” shower could hit south-east England on Sunday.
She said: “While it may be an unsettled start to the long weekend for some with showers for Northern Ireland, Wales and western England, many parts will see much more settled conditions over the long jubilee weekend, with plenty of dry weather and good spells of sunshine. Temperatures will be widely into the low 20s, feeling warmer in the sunshine, although temperatures will drop off quickly into the evenings.
“The latest outlook suggests that this plume of warm air could bring a spell of showers to southern areas overnight on Friday and into early Saturday, with some showers hanging around for a time on Saturday. Further showers are likely for southern areas on Sunday, perhaps the odd heavy one, most likely at this stage for the far south-east.
“Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England look like they’ll see the driest conditions from Friday onwards most likely enjoying some prolonged periods of sunshine.”
