UK weather: Britain to enjoy sunny Saturday before sharp drop in temperatures

Dominic Raab says people must remember to follow lockdown rules despite warm weather

The UK can expect to enjoy a sunny Saturday before a sharp drop in temperatures on the final day of the bank holiday weekend.

People will be able to enjoy the warm weather – with forecasters predicting 24C in Manchester and potentially even 26C in London – on their daily walks while the country faces another weekend in lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic.

Northern and central parts of England could reach up to 23C on Saturday, with southern areas peaking at 25C, a Met Office spokesperson told The Independent.

Despite the sunshine forecast for the country, there could still be some “scattered, potentially heavy showers” across Wales, the Midlands and possibly the northeast, John Griffiths said.

The warm weather is set to follow Friday’s sunny bank holiday, which saw people celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

Dominic Raab has warned the public not to linger outside and to keep following the UK’s lockdown measures, despite the good weather forecast over the long weekend.

The foreign secretary said on Thursday: “For the moment it is really important, particularly as people look towards a warm bank holiday weekend, that we continue to follow the guidance in place at this time.”

However, the weather looks set to get colder after the sunny start.

“There will be a marked contraction on Sunday with temperatures, tumbling down by 10C or more,” John Griffiths from the Met Office told The Independent.

He said London was looking closer to 17C compared to highs of 26C on Saturday, while in places like Plymouth and Southampton in the far south, temperatures could reach highs of 19C on Sunday.

Elsewhere, Manchester could peak at 13C as the long weekend draws to a close, he said.

The outlook for Scotland on Saturday is wetter, the Met Office website said. “Rain across Scotland will edge slowly southwards, turning to snow on hills as it becomes much colder. Elsewhere [it will be] very warm with sunny spells, but a few thundery showers breaking out,” forecasters wrote.

Cardiff can expect sun, high temperatures and possibly some thundery showers, with similar conditions elsewhere in Wales on Saturday.

Scattered showers could also fall across northern England at the start of Sunday, with winds picking up throughout the morning.

“It is mostly outbreaks of light rain,” the Met Office spokesperson said, “mostly across northern and eastern parts of the north in parts of Lancashire and Greater Manchester.”

The showers will move down through the midlands and towards the south as the day goes on.

“It will be increasingly windy across southern areas throughout the course of the day,” Mr Griffiths said, “which will make it feel a lot colder as we move into the late afternoon and evening in more central and southern areas.”

The UK has been in lockdown since March over the coronavirus outbreak, with people told to stay inside unless it is essential and public gatherings of more than two people banned as part of efforts to contain the virus.

Additional reporting by Press Association