The UK is set for a rainy bank holiday weekend, but forecasters have pinpointed June 1 as the date when sunshine and warmer weather are expected to return. The Met Office has warned of heavy showers and thunderstorms across parts of the country on Sunday and Monday.
According to the Met Office, Sunday will bring sunny spells and scattered showers, with heavy and blustery conditions in Scotland and Northern Ireland, including a risk of thunder. These conditions will spread across the UK on Saturday, with Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday likely to see a mix of sunshine and showers.
Weather maps indicate that Wales, Northern Ireland, parts of Scotland, and northern England will be worst affected by the bank holiday showers. Major cities such as Manchester, Cardiff, and Glasgow are expected to see rain at 5pm on Monday. The rain will move southwards through the evening, reaching the southwest of England around 10pm.
Despite the gloomy forecast, the start of June is expected to bring a change. Met Office maps show no rain and widespread sunshine, with some cloud, for 4pm on Sunday June 1. Forecaster Jo Farrow noted that the jet stream could begin to buckle by May 30, allowing the Azores high to build towards southwest England, potentially bringing a drier, sunnier weekend for the start of June.
The Met Office explained that the jet stream's movement can buckle and loop, like a river's meander, slowing down weather systems and making low-pressure areas less predictable. This shift is expected to herald the return of settled weather after the bank holiday washout.
