Britain told to ‘prepare for rain’ in Coronation weekend weather forecasts

Most people in the UK should bring a raincoat if they head out over the Coronation bank holiday weekend, forecasters have said.

Bursts of rain are expected over England’s south, north-west and Midlands, as well as Wales, though temperatures are likely to stay mild or even warm in those areas.

Conversely, England’s north-east, Scotland and Northern Ireland will stay drier but are exposed to chilly winds holding the mercury in the low teens, according to meteorologists.

Met Office expert Alex Deakin said: ‘The weather patterns are shifting. We’ve had high pressure dominating for the last few days keeping things mostly dry.

‘But now low pressure is now squeezing in. That’s why it’s been so blustery.’

The wet weather is likely to start in south Wales and south-west England on Saturday morning, spreading slowly north and westwards throughout the day.

Most of the UK’s northern areas will enjoy a dry and bright start to the weekend, tempered by a ‘fair bit’ of cloud in the skies.

But will Charles, Camilla and the thousands lining London’s streets to see them be caught out?

Mr Deakin explains: ‘It’s certainly likely to be a fairly damp afternoon, with cloud and outbreaks of rain on and off.

‘But the exact timing of that rain is still open to a little bit of uncertainty.’

Met Office modelling says temperatures could reach highs 18°C in the South East as the day draws on, with similarly appealing highs of 17°C in Wales and western Scotland.

In areas with thicker cloud and rain, though, the barometer will likely hover around 14 to 15°C.

The UK’s eastern coast, meanwhile, will be exposed to a North Sea chill causing temperatures to top out at 12°C in areas such as Tyneside.

With Monday’s bank holiday, of course, millions more people are expected to make outings on Sunday.

They will be met with ‘reasonably warm’ highs up to 20°C in the south-east

The Met’s forecaster continued:’I think we’ll still see a few outbreaks of rain across parts of the East on Sunday, so be prepared for that if you’ve got outdoor plans. Some heavy outbursts of rain are possible.’

The weather is expected to dry up later on Sunday, though more outbreaks of rain could ‘shimmy in from the West through the day’, he added.

Monday’s forecasts are less reliable until the weekend draws in, though much of the UK is at risk of sudden spells of rain moving in from the West earlier in the day.

The westernmost parts of England, Wales and all of Northern Ireland face ‘heavy rain at times’, the Met added.

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