Bank holiday misery as heavy rain and strong winds expected

19 May 2025, 09:53

After a “remarkably dry start to spring”, the bank holiday will see more unsettled weather.

The bank Holiday weekend and following week will bring unsettled conditions as weather systems move in from the Atlantic.

According to the Met Office, the change in conditions are likely to happen first in the northwest, probably later on Friday or through Saturday.

This will see frontal systems bringing spells of rain, which could turn heavy at times, with a risk of strong winds in places.

These conditions are expected to gradually spread across the UK as we go through the weekend.

Temperatures will probably be close to average, perhaps slightly above at times, but will feel fairly cool in the often strong winds, the Met Office predicts.

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The Environment Agency has warned of the risk of drought this summer without sustained rainfall after the driest start to spring in nearly six decades, with millions of households told they may face restrictions on water use in the coming months.

As of Friday 16, 80.6mm of rain had been recorded for the UK this spring, nearly 20mm less than the record low for the full season of 100.7mm set in 1852.

The Met Office said the driver for the prolonged warm and very dry spell has been high pressure.

Met Office meteorologist Dan Stroud: "It’s been a remarkably dry start to spring, and also a remarkably dry start to May.

“The final week of May, the half-term week, is looking increasingly changeable, with areas of cloud and rain arriving from the west.”

Looking further ahead, the Met Office says changeable weather conditions are expected as we head into June.

Spells of wet weather with showers or longer spells of rain are likely to be interspersed with drier, sunnier periods.