UK LATE-SPRING HOLIDAYS

(and, prior to 1967, some notable Whit-weekend holidays)
(Saturday / Sunday / Monday)

*** BEST RECENT: (2008 NW), (1997), 1992, 1990, 1982, 1978, 1970
*** WORST RECENT: (2008 South), 2007, 2006, 2000, 1993, 1984 (south only), 1977, 1972 (1967 SE Britain only)

Notes about this holiday:
1. In 1967, this holiday was 'fixed' by the Labour government of Harold Wilson to the last weekend in May (except for special occasions - see the list below). Strictly, the holiday was temporarily moved to this date for the years 1967 - 1970 (by Royal Proclamation), then the arrangement was made permanent from 1971.
Prior to 1967, the holiday was tied to the religious festival, Whitsun (from Whit Sunday [see below]), which occurs 7 weeks after Easter, and therefore could vary as Easter does. This meant that the Whit weekend Monday (the day when many 'Fairs', local holidays etc., occurred) could occur on any date between 11th May and 14th June. (Whitsun is of course still a major Christian festival.)
The Gladstone government in 1871 introduced 'Bank Holidays' (which effectively became Public Holidays), and Whitsun was so observed until 1967.
[ For more on Bank / Public Holidays across the United Kingdom, see: HERE ]

2. This holiday weekend is somewhat more 'reliable' as to weather than the Easter, or the May Day holiday for fairly obvious reasons, though it should be noted that sea temperatures are still recovering after the winter & early spring minimum.

Average day maxima at this time of year vary from 16 or 17degC in northern and western urban areas (such as the Glasgow and Belfast regions), to 18 to 19degC further south. Areas adjacent to the North Sea will be cooler.

'Quick-Look' Summary (Spring Holidays only):

1967: LARGE AREAS OF CLOUD: PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN. BRIGHTER MONDAY.
1968: SHOWERY IN SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST; DRY & BRIGHT NORTHWEST.
1969: COOL, WET AND THUNDERY.
- - - The 1970s - - -
1970: FINE/WARM MANY SOUTHERN/CENTRAL AREAS - UNSETTLED FURTHER NORTH.
1971: NEAR-AVERAGE TEMPERATURES. CHANGEABLE BUT NOT EXCESSIVELY WET.
1972: WINDY - SEVERE GALES FOR SOME: RAIN FOR MOST. COOL.
1973: FINE & WARM FOR MANY - CLOUDIER, SOME RAIN NORTH AND WEST.
1974: REASONABLY WARM/BRIGHT SOUTH; CLOUDING OVER, OCCASIONAL RAIN NORTH.
1975: REASONABLY SUNNY & MOSTLY DRY - COLD WIND EAST & SOUTH.
1976: AVERAGE TEMPERATURES, LACK OF SUNSHINE - RAIN ON MOST DAYS.
1977: BECOMING COOLER & UNSETTLED. WET/WINDY/COLD IN NORTH MONDAY.
1978: FINE/VERY WARM, DRY & NOTABLY SUNNY WEEKEND/HOLIDAY.
1979: SHOWERY. LIMITED SUNSHINE, OCCASIONALLY WINDY: AVERAGE TEMPERATURES.
- - - The 1980s - - -
1980: BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES - COLD MORNINGS; SPORADIC RAIN.
1981: SHOWERY, BUT LENGTHY SPELLS OF STRONG SUNSHINE. WINDY AT FIRST.
1982: FINE, WARM WEEKEND. MORE UNSETTLED ON MONDAY.
1983: WET/COLD IN EAST AT FIRST - GETTING WARMER & DRIER.
1984: WET/GLOOMY EAST & MIDLAND ENGLAND; BRIGHT/SUNNY NORTH & WEST.
1985: WARM/HUMID: VIOLENT STORMS IN EAST; COOLER IN WEST LATER.
1986: UNSETTLED, WINDY & OFTEN CLOUDY. BEST IN EAST, BUT GUSTY WIND.
1987: CHILL EAST WIND EASTERN BRITAIN; BEST IN WEST & NORTH.
1988: RAIN OR SHOWERS - LOCAL HEAVY RAIN; SUNSHINE IRREGULAR.
1989: FINE/SUNNY START, THEN CLOUDIER. INCREASINGLY CHILLY NORTH WIND.
- - - The 1990s - - -
1990: FINE/SUNNY FOR MANY - AFTER NOTABLY COLD STARTS.
1991: FINE SCOTLAND & WESTERN AREAS ELSEWHERE; CLOUDY/DAMP IN EAST.
1992: PLENTY OF SUNSHINE - STRONG WIND EARLY; VERY WARM FOR MANY.
1993: FINE/WARM START THEN WIND/RAIN/LOWER TEMPERATURES FOR MANY.
1994: FAIRLY WARM (COLD STARTS):RAIN/WIND N & W SCOTLAND MONDAY.
1995: SHOWERY/RATHER COOL: PROLONGED RAIN NORTH & WEST; BEST FAR SE.
1996: SHOWERY-COOL NORTHERLY WINDS: BECOMING FINE IN NORTH MONDAY.
1997: HIGH SUNSHINE & MAINLY DRY, BUT AVERAGE TEMPERATURES.
1998: SHOWERY RAIN NORTH; HEAVY SHOWERS SOUTH LATER. DECENT TEMPERATURES.
1999: FINE START AFTER SEVERE STORMS DIED OUT; TURNING COOLER.
- - - The 2000s - - -
2000: UNSETTLED: WINDY/WET COUPLE OF DAYS SOUTH - BETTER ON MONDAY.
2001: FINE IN SOUTHEAST & CHANNEL ISLES; UNSETTLED/COOLER NORTH & WEST.
2002: FINE START: THUNDERY BREAKDOWN, BUT SOUTHEAST REASONABLE THROUGHOUT.
2003: SUNSHINE & SHOWERS: FINE/WARM IN EAST AND SOUTH BY MONDAY.
2004: SHOWERY, BUT FINE, WARM SUNSHINE TOO: RAIN/WIND SOUTHWEST MONDAY.
2005: WINDY/BLEAK IN NORTH SATURDAY; MIXED FORTUNES/SOME SUNSHINE THEREAFTER.
2006: SHOWERY, BREEZY FOR MANY BUT PERIODS STRONG SUNSHINE; CHILLY IN NORTH.
2007: WET, COLD & CHEERLESS SUNDAY & MONDAY FOR MANY: VERY SUNNY FAR NW.
2008: SOUTH: OFTEN WET/WINDY- SOME SUN S.COAST; NORTH: FINE/SUNNY (CHILLY NE WIND).
2009: RAIN NW SATURDAY-GLORIOUS DAY SUNDAY-RAIN, SOME THUNDER MONDAY: WARM S & E.
- - - The 2010s - - -
2010: COOL, RAINY SATURDAY, THEN STEADILY DRIER; FINE/WARM NORTHERN BRITAIN MONDAY.
2011: SE ENGLAND WARM. SHOWERY/WINDY NORTH SATURDAY & SUNDAY. RAIN FOR MOST MONDAY.

Notable Whitsuns: good and bad!

1889: (8th - 10th June): NOTABLE LACK OF SUNSHINE
Totally sunless on all three days of the weekend in many parts of the east of England, the Midlands and parts of the southeast -- not at all usual for this late in the year (nearly on the longest day!)

1891: (16th - 18th May): SNOW AT WHITSUN!
Probably one of the worst weekend holidays in this series. A period of fine/warm weather was followed by what has been described as a 'wintry' weekend. Snow was reported as far south at Hertfordshire and other Home Counties of London, and lay to at least 6 inches (about 15cm) in parts of East Anglia. There was damage to fruit crops and to vegetables due to severe frost. On Sunday morning/17th (night minimum temperature) on Ben Nevis was -10.0 degC. Afternoon temperatures over the Midlands and East Anglia were around 4 or 5 degC during the latter part of the holiday weekend. On Whit Monday, the temperature in parts of London failed to rise above 6degC .. at least 12C below what we would regard as a reasonable average.

1933: (3rd - 5th June): ONE OF THE FINEST WHIT HOLIDAYS
On the 3rd and 4th (Saturday & Sunday), the pressure was high over Scandinavia, with a low in the Bay of Biscay. This led to a warm, dry south or southeasterly (ex-continental) flow over much of the British Isles. On Whit Monday, northern and far western areas experienced Atlantic southwesterlies, therefore lower temperatures, but for other areas, the fine, very warm or hot & dry weather continued. According to Eden ('Weatherwise' / Sunday Telegraph), the hottest & sunniest of the 'late' spring holidays [but see 1944 below, which holds the 'record' for absolute highest temperature.] It actually occurred in the middle of a long, fine spell that brought days of unbroken sunshine during the first week of June to much of eastern England. The temperature reached at least 27degC over many parts of central and eastern England on Saturday. On Sunday, similar values were achieved over a wider part of the country, with 29degC or a little higher recorded as far apart at London, North Wales, Lancashire, Edinburgh and the Moray Firth. A temperature of 30degC was recorded at Gordon Castle, near Elgin on this Whit Sunday. On Whit Monday, although the high temperatures were not quite so widely spread, at Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire, 31.1 degC was recorded, and Camden Square, London touched 31.7 degC.

1944: (27th - 29th May): ANOTHER FINE WHITSUN - RECORD TEMPERATURES
(the last 'full year' of the Second World War)
On Saturday/27th, pressure was already high across southern Britain, though the weather was more unsettled across northern areas, where a brisk west or southwesterly was blowing; this brought large areas of cloud and some rain. However, this unsettled weather was steadily displaced through the rest of the holiday, and by Monday, a large anticyclone was covering much of NW Europe, with a strong ridge across Scotland, and a light easterly further south bringing warm, ex-continental air to many areas. On Saturday, the temperature reached 28.9degC at Ternhill (nr. Market Drayton [Shropshire]), and many other southern areas were warming up nicely. By Sunday, as winds fell lighter everywhere, and with much more general sunshine, high temperatures were recorded over a greater swathe of the country; 30.6degC was the highest that day, at Camden Square in central London, with 28degC at places as far apart as Kensington Palace, Rugby [Warwickshire], Mansfield [Nottinghamshire] and many other areas in the south, the Midlands & parts of Wales. These values were already approaching 'record' values for late May, but on the Monday (29th), three places in the southeast of England achieved 32.8degC, the (equal) highest May temperatures (as at 2003) known for the UK: Horsham [West Sussex], Tunbridge Wells [Kent] and Regent's Park [central London]. By this measure, this is regarded as the warmest Whit holiday in the UK in the modern record (but see 1933 above). (The hot weather lingered into the week following).
The 'downside' to all this heat lay in the crop of storms that broke out on Monday: hailstones as big as marbles were seen at Bermondsey (London), and a cloudburst was reported from North Wales, where roads were blocked with fallen rock.

1948: (15th - 17th May):
The Whit weekend was noted as being part of a notably sunny and warm spell ...' broke all records for sunshine ' with maxima circa mid/upper 20's degC.

1953: (23rd - 25th May): FINE WHITSUN FOR CORONATION YEAR
After an unsettled start to the weekend, high pressure quickly became established, with a warm, east or southeasterly flow for most by Whit Monday. On this day, 31.7 degC was recorded at Heathrow [West London], then not as built up as it is today, and also in "leafy" Farnham [Surrey]: just a whisker lower, 31.1degC was the maximum temperature at Camden Square, Kensington Palace, Wealdstone [all London] & East Malling [Kent].

1954: (5th - 7th June):
Not particularly inspiring, as the pressure pattern was almost the inverse of the previous year; low pressure stuck over southern Britain, which produced prolonged and sometimes thunder rain. 50 to 100mm of rain fell widely on the 5th/Saturday.

1967:(13th - 15th): WHIT WEEKEND (BUT NOT THE HOLIDAY - SEE BELOW)
Mainly northeasterly--cyclonic to the southeast. Complex depression over the southeast on Monday. As a trough moved slowly southwards, northeasterly winds brought cooler, drier weather to northern and western districts during the weekend, but rain, heavy at times in the southeast, particularly on the 14th/Sunday, as a depression over north-west France moved slowly north-eastwards and deepened. Kew had its wettest Whit Monday since records began .. at that time. Rain continued throughout the night and for much of the 15th as the depression crossed south-east England.
[ This was the wettest May since 1729 at that time.]

1967:(27th - 29th May): FIRST 'SPRING' BANK HOLIDAY
LARGE AREAS OF CLOUD: PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN. BRIGHTER MONDAY.
> Low Saturday Wales and southern England, moving slowly north to be over northern England by Sunday; filling & moving away northeast thereafter, but remaining unsettled, with a southwesterly flow.
>> Areas of rain about, often heavy and prolonged on Saturday and Sunday, but showery, with lengthy drier spells on Monday. Some sunshine, best on Monday especially in eastern and central areas.
[Most people would have wondered why anyone bothered to fix this holiday to this weekend .. given the way the weather turned out!]

1968:(25th - 27th May)
SHOWERY IN SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST; DRY & BRIGHT NORTHWEST.
> Pressure was high over Scandinavia, with a ridge extending to the north of Scotland: however, it's influence did not help the British Isles until after this holiday weekend. To the southwest, areas of low pressure, with a deep, showery/thundery low in the SW Approaches on Monday.
>> On Saturday & Sunday, a trough from Southern Ireland to NW France, with a frontal link across the British Isles. Rain or showers, prolonged and heavy in the south, particularly the southwest. Further north, drier, sunnier weather - best in the west to leeward of high ground. On Monday, very unsettled in the southwest, with thunder and prolonged rainfall; scattered showers elsewhere - brighter spells too. Best (sunniest) weather over northwestern areas; cool on/near the east coast. Temperatures at best only just reaching average values, and along the English and Scottish North Sea coasts (and islands), with an east or southeasterly wind, temperatures depressed here (with associated wind-chill).
[May 1968 was a cold month - the CET value was 9.8degC, nearly 1.5degC below average. Snow was observed as far south as the Midlands around mid-month - often dull & wet; the weather only warmed up from the 27th, i.e. after this holiday weekend!]

1969:(24th - 26th)
COOL, WET AND THUNDERY.
> A depression was almost stationary to the southwest of the country, as successive troughs moved northwards across all districts over this extended weekend.
>> Cool, wet and thundery in many parts.

- - - 1970s - - -

1970:(23rd - 25th May)
FINE/WARM MANY SOUTHERN/CENTRAL AREAS - UNSETTLED FURTHER NORTH.
> High pressure over or near-to southern areas throughout, with the main High drifting from the Western Channel on Saturday to the Low Countries by late Sunday. More unsettled / westerly type in the north.
>> A fine three days for much of England and Wales, with the warmest, sunniest weather in the south; temperatures above average inland (typically 19 to 22degC), and with good shelter to the westerly breezes on Monday, fine/warm NE England too. More cloud further north, but even here some fine/dry weather - best on eastern side of both Northern Ireland and Scotland - temperatures average or somewhat above, but below average at first NE Scotland & in cloudier, damper NW later.

1971:(29th - 31st May)
NEAR-AVERAGE TEMPERATURES. CHANGEABLE BUT NOT EXCESSIVELY WET.
> Cyclonic south or southwesterly on Saturday - with associated fronts moving over southwestern areas; these then became slow-moving over eastern areas by Monday as pressure rose to the west.
>> Rainfall amounts not particularly great, and the winds died away for many. A coolish/cloudy start to the weekend, with rain in places and a somewhat blustery wind - strong in some northeastern areas on Sunday. By Monday, many places were dry, with occasional sunshine and temperatures just about average; however, remaining cloudy & locally damp near the frontal link in the east. One of those weekends when 'changeable' just about summed things up nicely.

1972:(27th - 29th May)
WINDY - SEVERE GALES FOR SOME: RAIN FOR MOST. COOL.
> Strong/cyclonic northwesterly on Saturday giving way to a cyclonic westerly thereafter. Frontal system crossing the country on Sunday.
>> A notably windy weekend, particularly for the time of the year. On the 27th/Saturday (as on the previous day), gales were widespread, with local severe gales. The cold/gusty northwesterly, with showers on Saturday gave way to a period of rain over all areas on Sunday, followed by blustery showery rain on Monday. Rainfall amounts in central and southern areas were not too great: of the order 1 to 5 mm total, but in northern areas, heavier rain/showers occurred: Glasgow recorded 13 mm over the weekend. Temperatures below average generally e.g. on the Monday, Kew [SW London]=16degC, Ringway [Manchester]=13.5degC and Abbotsinch [Glasgow]=14degC. Sunshine best described as 'fitful', with some northern areas only totalling around 5 h for the whole weekend.

1973:(26th - 28th May)
FINE & WARM FOR MANY - CLOUDIER, SOME RAIN NORTH AND WEST.
> Extensive anticyclone established over western Europe.
>> The Saturday was fine over most of England and Wales with long periods of sunshine, but Scotland and Northern Ireland had a little rain during the day. (Amounts in many populated areas very small). A lot of fine/warm and dry weather on Sunday. Unsettled conditions spread from the west during Monday on the periphery of the high pressure. Many places had their highest temperatures of May 1973 during the holiday weekend:
Saturday ... Thorney Island [Hampshire/Chichester Harbour] 21.5degC, Boscombe Down [Wiltshire] 21.8degC, Ross-on-Wye [Herefordshire] 23.0degC, Rhoose [Cardiff] 21.7degC, Mount-Batten [Plymouth] 21.2degC, Elmdon [Birmingham] 22.0degC, Abbotsinch [Glasgow] 21.1degC, Leuchars [Fife] 19.1degC and Aldergrove [Belfast] 19.5degC.
Sunday ... Kew [SW London] 24.1degC, Cardington [Bedfordshire] 22.8degC, Elmdon [Birmingham] 22.0degC, same as Saturday, Valley [Anglesey] 22.3degC, Ringway [Manchester] 23.3degC, Watnall [Nottingham] 23.7degC, Finningley [Doncaster] 23.6degC, Eskdalemuir [Dumfries & Galloway] 22.7degC and Dyce [Aberdeen] 20.7degC.

1974:(25th - 27th May)
REASONABLY WARM/BRIGHT SOUTH; CLOUDING OVER, OCCASIONAL RAIN NORTH.
> Anticyclone centred to the west of the British Isles, but not dominant enough to prevent a frontal system affecting northern Scotland, especially later on Sunday and Monday.
>> Showers during the week leading up to this weekend died out generally by the 25th/Saturday - any remaining showers were light/well separated. Most southern and central districts were dry for the weekend thereafter. Northern areas had occasional rain through the Sunday and Monday, as a ridge transferred south, allowing an incursion of frontal rain to many in the north. Rainfall amounts were small however (away from NW Scotland: Stornoway recorded 21 mm on the Monday) - the main effect was to depress temperatures; e.g. Glasgow day maximum on Monday just 15degC, with less than 2h of bright sunshine, and a rather stiff westerly wind. At Manchester on the same day, the maximum was only 14degC. Better in the south with Boscombe Down [Wiltshire] recording 20.9 degC (London similar) and Mount Batten [Plymouth] 18.6 degC (sunshine=14.1h) on the Monday. Even in the north on the Sunday, before the cold front came south to spoil things, the following maxima were recorded: Tynemouth 22.2degC and Leuchars [Fife] 23.7degC; these and other northeastern areas having the benefit of shelter to the brisk westerly flow.

1975:(24th - 26th May)
REASONABLY SUNNY & MOSTLY DRY - COLD WIND EAST & SOUTH.
> Anticyclonic type - centred to the north of the British Isles, with an easterly low-level flow dominant for many. The flow weak at first, but notably stronger in southern and central areas by Monday.
>> Showers in some western and southern areas on Saturday but northern districts mostly dry. All areas then became dry for the remaining two days as the high pressure became increasingly dominant. Cool and gusty east or northeast winds were a feature for many central and southern areas: notably cold over and someway downwind of the North Sea coast. However, western Scotland and parts of Cumbria enjoyed a fine few days, with considerable shelter and much lighter winds overall. In fact Sunday was a notably sunny day over the north, with many stations having their sunniest day of that May e.g. Leuchars [Fife] 15.0h, Dyce [Aberdeen] 15.3 h and Stornoway [Lewis/Outer Hebrides] 14.8h. On the 26th/Monday, it was the turn of the south to share in the sunshine (although with a particularly keen east wind), with 12 or 13h for many stations, locally 14h. Overall temperatures (away from the east coast) were around or a little below average.

1976:(29th - 31st May)
AVERAGE TEMPERATURES, LACK OF SUNSHINE - RAIN ON MOST DAYS.
> Weak 'COL' region (area of little wind-flow) on Saturday giving way to an unsettled SW'ly type for most thereafter. Several frontal systems affected the country, with a slow-moving occlusion over northeastern areas keeping some cold air trapped in the north and northeast.
>> Rather variable/indifferent weather, with rain at times. These last 3 days of the month were particularly sunless (ironic as the rest of the summer would be a real 'scorcher'). Kew [SW London] on the Saturday managed 6 h of bright sunshine, but they, along with many other 'main' stations only scraped one or two hours of sunshine for the rest of the holiday. Temperatures in fact were not too far from average for many southern and central areas, reflecting the southerly drift of the air, although the north was cooler than average, with the Glasgow high on Saturday = 11degC, rising on Monday = 15degC. Rainfall not excessive, but managed to fall on all three days somewhere or other over the weekend. Finningley recorded 13mm of rain on the Saturday.

1977:(4th - 6th June)
[ NB: this holiday was transferred to June to coincide with the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations. ]
BECOMING COOLER & UNSETTLED. WET/WINDY/COLD IN NORTH MONDAY.
> Slightly anticyclonic NW'ly on Saturday giving way to strong/cyclonic N or NW'ly on Sunday with a couple of fronts moving through the flow. On Monday, a vigorous depression swept across Northern Ireland and southern Scotland with strong/gusty winds. (Typical 'royal' weather! - ironically, the 'proper' "Late spring" holiday, i.e. the last weekend of May would have been reasonably fine!)
>> After a fine start to the month (of June), which just about lingered in many central and southern areas into the Saturday, the weekend became more unsettled as rain spread southwards to all areas - with snow over the Scottish mountains. Temperatures below average Sunday and Monday. In the south, the rain early on the 5th was the first to fall in some places for over two weeks. A very wet period then ensued. On the Saturday though, the West of England and south Wales had quite a reasonable day, with Rhoose [Cardiff] 20.3degC and Mount Batten [Plymouth] 20.5degC having their warmest day of the month. Conversely, by the Monday, many places in the north had their wettest (and locally coldest) day of the month e.g. Tynemouth (10mm), Eskdalemuir [Dumfries & Galloway] 27mm, Abbotsinch [Glasgow] 16mm/Maximum = 7.5 degC and Leuchars [Fife] 19mm. Maxima elsewhere on the Monday in the range 12 to 16 degC.

1978:(27th - 29th May)
FINE/VERY WARM, DRY & NOTABLY SUNNY WEEKEND/HOLIDAY.
> Mostly anticyclonic, although on Saturday a weak cold front affected parts of the northwest.
>> Generally a fine, dry and notably sunny holiday weekend. Many places away from the eastern coasts had some very warm days during the last week of the month. The 29th (Monday), was the warmest day of the month at the following places: Eskdalemuir [Dumfries & Galloway] 25.3degC, Abbotsinch [Glasgow] 25.8degC, Leuchars [Fife] 24.0degC, Dyce [Aberdeen] 24.0degC* and Aldergrove [Belfast] 24.5degC. [ * the 24.0degC at Dyce was a new record for May at that time]; Temperatures generally well above average - in the range: 21 to 24degC, and the central and northern areas were particularly warm. Plenty of sunshine, and the following stations had their sunniest day of that month as follows:
Saturday ... Elmdon [Birmingham] 14.8h, Watnall [Nottingham] 14.8h;
Sunday ... Boscombe Down [Wiltshire] 14.8h, Rhoose [Cardiff] 14.3h, Elmdon [Birmingham] 14.8h - same as Saturday), Watnall [Nottingham] 14.8h - same as Saturday);
Monday ... Valley [Anglesey] 14.7h, Ringway [Manchester] 14.6h, Watnall [Nottingham] 14.8h - same as Saturday and Sunday), Finningley [Doncaster] 15.2h, Eskdalemuir [Dumfries & Galloway] 14.6h.
[ NB: as the anticyclone migrated eastwards later in the week, warm southerly winds and abundant sunshine produced new record May temperatures at several places (at that time).]

1979:(26th - 28th May)
SHOWERY. LIMITED SUNSHINE, OCCASIONALLY WINDY: AVERAGE TEMPERATURES.
> Cyclonic - sometimes windy. One depression over the southeast on Saturday and another to west of Ireland on Monday, with active frontal systems on a strong south or southwest wind.
>> Unsettled with rain or showers in most areas on all three days. Temperatures generally a little below average or just about average by Monday. Sunshine amounts were somewhat down on what might be expected - significantly so in the south, for example at Kew [SW London], the Saturday was virtually sunless, Sunday had 5.5hr, and on Monday just 2hr.

- - - 1980s - - -

1980:(24th - 26th May)
BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES - COLD MORNINGS; SPORADIC RAIN.
> Anticyclonic becoming weakly cyclonic. Cold front crossing many areas from the northwest on Sunday.
>> Saturday was a mainly dry day with variable cloud on a northwesterly wind, but persistent rain affected northern districts on the Sunday (cold front), and spread to most areas over the remaining part of the holiday period - however amounts of rain in populated areas were small and many southern areas were virtually dry through the weekend. The cold front introduced modified-arctic air to northern areas so air frosts and hill/mountain snow showers turned up over Scotland. Temperatures generally were never above the late May average: for example on the Monday, Glasgow 16degC; Manchester 16.5degC and London 18degC. The mornings were notably chilly, particularly in the south, where the night-time temperatures fell as winds failed and cloud became well broken: minima here around 5degC, quite cold for late May.

1981:(23rd - 25th May)
SHOWERY, BUT LENGTHY SPELLS OF STRONG SUNSHINE. WINDY AT FIRST.
> Cyclonic: windy with frontal activity at first then less windy but showery.
>> Some spells of fine sunshine recorded. For example, on the 24th/Sunday, 11.5hr at Finningley [Doncaster] and 13.7hr at Dyce [Aberdeen]. On the 25th/Monday, 13.6hr at Leuchars [Fife]. A mixture of heavy rain and showers over the two days 23rd/24th spoiled the holiday .... On the 24th (Sunday), 12.0mm fell at Heathrow [West London], 23.5mm at Rhoose [Cardiff]; and on the 25th (Monday), 27.1mm fell at Watnall [Nottingham]. A 'getting-better-but-watch-for-the-showers' sort of weekend. The best weather possibly over Scotland.

1982:(29th - 31st May)
FINE, WARM WEEKEND. MORE UNSETTLED ON MONDAY.
> Anticyclonic start in the southeast with open warm-sector across northwestern areas. A trough moving across the country brought a breakdown on Monday - thundery for some.
>> A fine, warm weekend: Temperatures by the Monday/31st in mid/upper 20's degC. For example, Heathrow [West London] 26.6degC, Bedford 24.3degC, Boscombe Down [Wiltshire] 25.0degC, Rhoose [Cardiff] 24.7degC, Elmdon [Birmingham] 25.0degC, Ringway [Manchester] 23.9degC, Watnall [Nottingham] 27.0degC, Finningley [Doncaster] 26.2degC: Also, plenty of sunshine .... Many places had their sunniest day of the month on either the 29th/Saturday or the 30th/Sunday, with the sunshine extending into Scotland and Northern Ireland. For example, on the 30th, Aldergrove [Belfast] recorded 15.4hr, Eskdalemuir [Dumfries & Galloway] 15.5hr of bright sunshine. However, as might be expected in a spring month, some local thundery outbreaks were observed in the south.

1983:(28th - 30th May)
WET/COLD IN EAST AT FIRST - GETTING WARMER & DRIER.
> Cyclonic start then the flow weakened as a COL (area of light winds) formed over the country, but with a ridge extending across Scotland and Northern Ireland by Monday.
>> Getting warmer through the weekend. (But the warmest weather occurred on the 31st/Tuesday, after the holiday, with local temps into the low 20's degC.) The 28th/Saturday was particularly cold and wet in many eastern districts, but the weather gradually brightened and became dry in most places, with increasing amounts of sunshine.

1984:(26th - 28th May)
WET/GLOOMY EAST & MIDLAND ENGLAND; BRIGHT/SUNNY NORTH & WEST.
> Cyclonic pressure pattern in the south-east. Weak ridge taking over slowly elsewhere, displacing the cold/northerly type.
>> Over eastern England and the Midlands, overcast skies and persistent rain. Local rainfall totals over the 3 days of the holiday were around 50 mm in places (some places up to 60mm), with Heathrow [West London] having 21.5mm on the 26th/Saturday alone. The temperature remained below 10 degC for all three days (e.g. Reigate, Surrey 27th/Sunday daytime maximum = 8.1degC, some 11C below average for late May). In many of these areas, a totally sunless weekend: not at all usual for this late in the year. For these areas, one of the worst holiday weekends recently. (See also 1889). However, to offset the 'southeast bias', in the north and west of these islands, after a chilly/northerly Saturday, the winds slowly eased, the amounts of sunshine increased, and Aldergrove [Belfast] on the 28th/Monday had 15.0hr of near unbroken bright sunshine. Indeed, most of Scotland and Northern Ireland could be regarded as having a fine end to the holiday.

1985:(25th - 27th May)
WARM/HUMID: VIOLENT STORMS IN EAST; COOLER IN WEST LATER.
> Warm, southerly type with slow-moving trough to west.
>> Temperatures well into the low 20's degC: for example, on the 26th/Sunday, Bedford 21.5degC, Elmdon [Birmingham] 21.3degC, Ringway [Manchester] 20.5degC, Watnall [Nottingham] 23.3degC, Finningley [Doncaster] 23.4degC, Durham 21.5degC, Tynemouth 22.1degC: Cloudier on the 27th/Monday, so not so warm, although very humid. Thundery weather began to extend northwards on the 25th/Saturday. On the 26th/Sunday, there were widespread thunderstorms while at Norwich there was a maximum of 24.5 degC. However, there were violent storms across East Anglia with reports of large hail. A cold front moved slowly east across the country on the 27th/Monday ending the thundery weather, and introducing cooler weather into Ulster and later western Scotland. Rainfall at Rhoose [Cardiff] on the 27th was 11.1 mm, although this understates the rainfall distribution.

1986:(24th - 26th May)
UNSETTLED, WINDY & OFTEN CLOUDY. BEST IN EAST, BUT GUSTY WIND.
> West or southwesterly type: frontal system crossing on a sometimes strong wind.
>> An unsettled, sometimes cloudy, often windy weekend. Lowestoft [Suffolk] managed 20.4degC on the 25th/Sunday. Stornoway [Lewis/Outer Hebrides] achieved 12.1hr of sunshine on the 26th/Monday. Rain not particularly heavy at any one place, as the wind kept the fronts/troughs moving along at a smart pace. Sheltered eastern areas had the best of the weather, though with gusty/leeside winds.

1987:(23rd - 25th May)
CHILL EAST WIND EASTERN BRITAIN; BEST IN WEST & NORTH.
> Anticyclonic, but with an east or northeasterly flow.
>> A cloudy/showery start in the south, with a gusty/cold northeast wind. Gradually over the holiday, the wind eased, with more sunshine developing. Temperatures entered the high 'teens' degC by Monday. The 25th/Monday was a particularly fine/warm day in northern Britain. Eskdalemuir [Dumfries & Galloway] 18.8degC, Aviemore [Grampians] 21.5degC, Stornoway [Lewis/Outer Hebrides] 17.7degC, all on the western side of the country. Much colder in the east downwind of the North Sea. The best sunshine was also to be found in the west, with Valley [Anglesey] 14.3hr and Ringway [Manchester] 14.0hr having their sunniest day of the month on the 24th/Sunday, and Aviemore [Grampians] 13.3hr and Stornoway [Lewis/Outer Hebrides] 15.2hr on the 25th/Monday.

1988:(28th - 30th May)
RAIN OR SHOWERS - LOCAL HEAVY RAIN; SUNSHINE IRREGULAR.
> Cyclonic with frontal systems never far away.
>> A generally unsettled weekend with bands of rain or prolonged showers. However, the 28th/Saturday was reasonably sunny in eastern areas, with Silsoe [nr. Bedford] recording 13.6hr. Some rainfall totals: 28th/Saturday .. 18.3mm at St.Mawgan [nr. Newquay/Cornwall]; 29th/Sunday .. 9.2mm at Lyneham [Wiltshire]; 30th/Monday .. 12.4mm at Watnall [Nottingham] and 9.1mm at Aldergrove [Belfast].

1989:(27th - 29th May)
FINE/SUNNY START, THEN CLOUDIER. INCREASINGLY CHILLY NORTH WIND.
> Anticyclone to the west, but with weak fronts moving north to south during Sunday and Monday on the north or northwesterly flow.
>> Many places had fine, warm and sunny weather, though increasingly tempered by chilly north winds - most noticeably on Monday. Some of the sunniest weather of the month was recorded this weekend: e.g. on the 27th/Saturday: Silsoe [nr. Bedford] 14.4hr; Lyneham [Wiltshire] 14.4hr; Rhoose [Cardiff] 14.7hr; Mount-Batten [Plymouth] 14.1hr; Elmdon [Birmingham] 14.5hr; Watnall [Nottingham] 14.5hr; Finningley [Doncaster] 14.6hr: and on the 28th/Sunday: Heathrow [West London] 14.8hr; Valley [Anglesey] 15.0hr. Temperatures as recorded not spectacular .. above average but not excessively so .. and on the Monday, cooler northerly winds spread across many areas, bringing large areas of cloud.

- - - 1990s - - -

1990:(26th - 28th May)
FINE/SUNNY FOR MANY - AFTER NOTABLY COLD STARTS.
> Anticyclonic with generally light winds. Stronger southerlies associated with a frontal system into Ulster and western Scotland on the 28th/Monday.
>> Many places had fine, warm and sunny weather. However, there were some notably chilly starts to the day: for example on the 26th/Saturday, many places recorded the lowest minimum for the month: e.g. Tummel Bridge (Tayside) and Glenlivet (Strathspey) [both Scotland] -2.6degC; Aviemore [Grampians] -2.4degC; Dyce [Aberdeen] -0.9degC; Abbotsinch [Glasgow] -0.8 degC; Durham 0.8degC; Finningley [Doncaster] 1.3 degC; Elmdon [Birmingham] 0.7 degC and Cambridge 0.3 degC. The payoff for the chilly starts (dry low level air) was the spectacular sunshine: e.g. 15.0hr at Lyneham [Wiltshire] on the 26th/Saturday and 15.0hr at Valley [Anglesey] on the 27th/Sunday. However, after the cold starts, day maxima weren't too high, generally somewhat above average - though in fine, strong warm sunshine, it didn't feel too bad. -- into the low 20's degC.

1991:(25th - 27th May)
FINE SCOTLAND & WESTERN AREAS ELSEWHERE; CLOUDY/DAMP IN EAST.
> Anticyclonic: weak fronts running around the high across northern and eastern areas later.
>> Scotland had the best of the weather, with maxima on these days as follows: 25th/Saturday: Stornoway [Lewis/Outer Hebrides] 15.7degC; 26th/Sunday: Leuchars [Fife] 21.5degC; 27th: Abbotsinch [Glasgow] 21.6 degC .. and Cardiff/Rhoose joined in on this latter day with a high of 20.3 degC. A lot of dry weather, but the further eastwards you were, the cloudier it was - at times the cloud was thick enough to produce spots of drizzle/rain in eastern areas. The best of the weather was across Wales, parts of the West Country, central England and central and southwest Scotland.

1992:(23rd - 25th May)
PLENTY OF SUNSHINE - STRONG WIND EARLY; VERY WARM FOR MANY.
> Anticyclonic easterly -- rather strong winds early in the weekend but these easing by the Monday. However, many North Sea coasts suffered an onshore breeze, either due to gradient or sea-breeze winds. Thundery trough in south Sunday.
>> One of the 'best' late-spring holidays in the recent past: large parts of the country had unbroken sunshine by day throughout the holiday, and the temperature easily rose above 21 degC, reaching around 25 or 26 degC (locally 27degC) at many places. Much cooler along the north-eastern British coast though. Examples of day-maxima: 23rd/Saturday: 25.5degC (Hastings/Sussex); 24th/Sunday: 27.3 degC (Heathrow/West London), 24.8degC (Valley/Anglesey); 25th/Monday: 24.4degC (Lowestoft/Suffolk). (The warm weather continued into Tuesday/26th, with 24.9degC (St.Mawgan/Newquay), 22.6degC (Aldergrove/Belfast), 20.7degC (Dyce/Aberdeen) and 24.8degC (Rhoose/Cardiff) being recorded on this day.) It wasn't uninterrupted dry weather though: On the Sunday/24th, Lyneham recorded 12.8 mm of rain as a scattering of heavy showers with hail/severe thunderstorms developed due to a showery trough lying for a time across southern areas. (Rainfall would have been much higher in some places).

1993:(29th - 31st May)
FINE/WARM START THEN WIND/RAIN/LOWER TEMPERATURES FOR MANY.
> Mainly cyclonic: strong winds at times, especially Sunday/Monday.
>> Tynemouth (18.5 degC) had its equal warmest day of the month on the 29th/Saturday ( = with 17th ), with a gentle land wind before frontal rain/strong winds arrived to spoil things. Indeed, Saturday was the warmest day of the weekend, and it was downhill for the remaining two days, with temperatures below average - notably so on the Sunday in the wind and the rain. Temperatures in the southeast were no better than 13 or 14 degC in many places. The 30th/Sunday was a particularly wet day across Northern Ireland, with Aldergrove [Belfast] recording 25 mm of rain on that day. A vigorous depression brought widespread rain/gales. However, on the 31st, Monday, as that low was taking its strong winds/cloud/rain away, and we were waiting for the next one, Elmdon [Birmingham] recorded its sunniest day of the month (13.6 hr), though accompanied by a stiff westerly breeze.

1994:(28th - 30th May)
FAIRLY WARM (COLD STARTS):RAIN/WIND N & W SCOTLAND MONDAY.
> Anticyclonic: north or northeasterly at first, becoming westerly in north.
>> As the wind eased, temperatures rose well, and on the 30th/Monday, Tynemouth (17.2degC) and Durham (17.3degC) recorded their highest temperature of that May as the wind stopped coming off the North Sea! With the anticyclone dominant, some of the mornings were quite chilly: In particular, on the morning of the 29th/Sunday, Heathrow [West London] (3.6 degC) and Lyneham [Wiltshire] (3.4 degC) and on the 30th/Monday, Finningley [Doncaster](0.9 degC), Elmdon [Birmingham](1.2 degC) and Cambridge (2.3 degC): all these readings (air minima) are the lowest for that May for the month. As the strong westerlies spread across Scotland on the 30th/Monday, with some rain, England, Wales and eastern Scotland enjoyed a warm/sunny day. Temperatures in the south-east on the Monday were of the order 18 to 20 degC, which in the sun, and with much less of an east wind than for some time past, was quite pleasant.

1995:(27th - 29th May)
SHOWERY/RATHER COOL: PROLONGED RAIN NORTH & WEST; BEST FAR SE.
> Cyclonic with often strong winds: initially south or southwesterly, with frontal systems crossing the country (frontal waves in southeast on Sunday), becoming showery southwest or westerly by Monday.
>> Many northern and western areas had some prolonged rainfall on the Saturday and Sunday. On the 27th/Saturday, Leuchars [Fife] (11.6mm) and Eskdalemuir [Dumfries & Galloway] (28.3mm) had their wettest days of the month, and on the 28th/Sunday, Aldergrove [Belfast] (14.9mm) had its wettest day of the month. The rain became rather more classically showery on the Monday, with brighter weather, and some sunshine in between the showers - prolonged sunshine in sheltered eastern and onshore/coastal areas. Temperatures in the southeast in the range 17 to 20 degC, but with a gusty/blustery wind - cooler in the north and west in the more definite showery/cloudy regime. However, at Margate (always likely to fare much better than 'forecasts'), a maximum of 22.7 degC was recorded on the 28th/Sunday.

1996:(25th - 27th May)
SHOWERY-COOL NORTHERLY WINDS: BECOMING FINE IN NORTH MONDAY.
> Cyclonic westerly on Saturday, with low pressure dominating on Sunday, together with strong winds. This clearing to a post-frontal northerly on Monday with transient ridge into the west.
>> Unsettled with showers then longer periods of rain for Saturday and Sunday, together with a sometimes strong westerly wind. However better weather set in on Monday across northern and western areas: Glasgow had one of its two sunniest days of the month on the Monday with 12.7hr as the northerly wind eased (in any case a good direction for the 'Central Belt' in spring), pressure rose, and post-frontal cloud cleared away to the south. The southeast of Britain though was the last to see a clearance of cloud/rain and gusty/chilly north winds, and local maxima were of the order 13 to 15degC.

1997:(24th - 26th May)
HIGH SUNSHINE & MAINLY DRY, BUT AVERAGE TEMPERATURES.
> Mainly anticyclonic: strong easterly in the English Channel at first. Weakening frontal system moving across Scotland on Monday and into far northern England.
>> Cardiff had its sunniest days of the month this weekend, with all three days recording 15.0hr of bright sunshine. The weather of the last week of this month brought abundant sunshine generally - at Littlehampton (West Sussex), the sun shone for 114hr during the last 8 days of the month. However, the mornings were quite chilly, with Altnaharra (Sutherland) recording a minimum of -3.5 degC on the 24th/Saturday -- reportedly the lowest temperature ever recorded on that date anywhere in the UK. It became very warm from the 26th (Monday) onwards though: Temperatures on the Monday in the south-east circa 21 degC, with dry air. (A 'fine' weekend but spoilt by the absolute value of the maxima .. see for example 1992)

1998:(23rd - 25th May)
SHOWERY RAIN NORTH; HEAVY SHOWERS SOUTH LATER. DECENT TEMPERATURES.
> Anticyclonic northwesterly on Saturday and Sunday, with weak/ill-defined frontal system (running around the periphery of a rather flabby ridge) affecting northern and some eastern coastal areas - other regions benefited from aforementioned ridge conditions. By Monday, more cyclonic pattern/still NW'ly, but stronger north or northeasterly over Scotland, with cold fronts moving south through all of Britain.
>> Patchy rain/drizzle (or showers due sea breeze convergence) - on Saturday, mainly in the north - amounts of rain very small but an area of rain crossed NE Scotland. Fine/prolonged sunshine in the West Country. On Sunday, good periods of sunshine except in parts of the south (persistent SC sheet), and in Northern Ireland. Glasgow, Edinburgh and Leuchars [Fife] fared very well, with 6 to 11hr and temperatures well above normal. Most of the brighter spots had above average temps, with highest at Malvern [Worcestershire] (22.0degC). However, there was some rain, but amounts generally small. Bank Holiday Monday was not too bad, although cooler air was being introduced by the succession of cold fronts. Showery rain for Scotland and Northern Ireland, with a blustery/gusty wind (wind chill) - brighter in the south, with sunshine. There were some heavy/thundery showers in the afternoon/evening across southern England, especially over East Anglia, where 8 mm in 8 minutes was reported from near Kings Lynn [Norfolk]. Warmest again was Malvern [Worcestershire] (21.9 degC), and even in the central lowlands of Scotland and the Belfast area, maxima just about made 16 degC.
( Warmest/Sunniest:
Saturday: 20.6degC Torquay/12.5hr Torbay;
Sunday: 22.0degC Malvern [Worcestershire]/12.2hr Eskdalemuir [Dumfries & Galloway];
Monday: 21.9degC Malvern [Worcestershire]/11.3hr Wittering [Cambridgeshire].)

1999:(29th - 31st May)
FINE START AFTER SEVERE STORMS DIED OUT; TURNING COOLER.
> Anticyclone gradually slipping from the northwest displacing frontal systems affecting the south at the start of the weekend. The front weakening markedly on the Monday.
>> A northward moving ridge followed by a thundery trough brought very warm weather with widespread thunderstorms (some severe / spectacular) between the 27th and 29th/Saturday (severe flooding/lightning damage in the Midlands .. 34mm at Chipping Norton [Oxfordshire], 25mm Boscombe Down [Wiltshire]; very heavy downpours English Midland/Southeast lowlands). The worst of the weather was over by late in the day on Saturday, and in any case, northern Britain/Northern Ireland were fine on Saturday, until some light rain reached far NW of Scotland late on Monday. Maxima were in the range 22 to 25degC, with Southampton reaching 27degC on the 29th (Saturday), and Bournemouth (Hurn) 26.2degC; thereafter things went downhill, particularly as far as temperatures were concerned, as the building high brought cool northeasterly winds, with the 30th/Sunday some 12 to 15C cooler in many central and southern areas. Maxima ranged from 12 or 13degC across the central lowlands of Scotland and lowland Northern Ireland, and in the English Midlands maxima only just reached double figures ... 10 or 11 degC being common on Sunday. Monday perked up as it was virtually dry, but temperatures in many areas of England & Wales still disappointing: maxima 15-17degC across the Midlands for example. Sunshine not plentiful; Scotland & Northern Ireland did better with afternoon highs around 17degC with 6 or 7hr sun. The NE of Scotland did well with a gentle SSW wind lifting temperatures generally to 18degC along the southern Moray Firth shore. Another good start ruined!
(Warmest/Sunniest:
Saturday: 27.2degC Southampton WC/12.6hr Jersey airport;
Sunday: 16.7degC Isles of Scilly/14.4hr Tiree [Inner Hebrides];
Monday: 19.7degC Aboyne [Aberdeenshire]/15.7hr Yeovilton [Somerset])

- - - 2000s - - -

2000:(27th - 29th May)
UNSETTLED: WINDY/WET COUPLE OF DAYS SOUTH - BETTER ON MONDAY.
> Cyclonic, distinctly unsettled Saturday/Sunday particularly across south - two vigorous lows within 48 hr crossing southwest to northeast over southern areas. Recovery of pressure Monday, especially SW Britain with transient ridge here.
>> A depression already crossing southern England quickly during the early hours of the 27th(Saturday) deepened considerably, the wind gusting to over 50kn as it passed by (Jersey 55knots), and it turned northwards up the North Sea to give a particularly wet/cold day to eastern/NE'n Scotland later that Saturday. Aviemore's high on this day was only 6.7degC with general 'populated' maxima 9 or 10degC & a gusty wind. Lightning strike damage reported in Somerset (to power lines and equipment) on Saturday. Some 20 to 40 mm fell widely and the next depression brought similar amounts of rain to SE England overnight on the 27th/28th (Saturday/Sunday); Clacton (Essex) recorded 100mm of rain in 72hr. Flooding in parts of the southeast as some rivers burst their banks. These two lows re-inforced a chilly, unstable northerly elsewhere - with sharp showers, heavy rainfall etc. On the 28th (Sunday), severe thunderstorms affected parts of Northern Ireland, with 5 cm depth of hail, many damaging lightning strikes, much flooding. For the two days (Saturday & Sunday), London WC recorded over 31mm of rain (third of that month's total). On Monday, a bit quieter, but with chilly/showery northwesterlies affecting many northern and eastern areas of the UK. Quite sunny though, particularly southern & central England, and sheltered SW Scotland. 13 or 14hr sunshine with temperatures 16 or 17degC southern England, and 13 to 15hr SW Scotland, but with afternoon maxima no higher than 14degC here. Over in eastern England and NE Scotland, cold despite 8 or 9hr of sunshine: maxima12 north to 13/14 degC south on & near the coast.
( Warmest/Sunniest:
Saturday: 15.2degC Leconfield [East Yorkshire]/13.4hr Tiree [Inner Hebrides];
Sunday: 16.0degC Great Malvern [Worcestershire]/ 13.4hr Guernsey airport [Channel Islands];
Monday: 17.9degC Southampton/ 15.5hr Prestwick [Ayrshire])

2001:(26th - 28th May)
FINE IN SOUTHEAST & CHANNEL ISLES; UNSETTLED/COOLER NORTH & WEST.
> High pressure across SE Britain slowly declining as a frontal system encroached from north & west: Vigorous low crossing Northern Scotland Monday.
>> Warm, dry & mainly sunny southeastern UK, though cloudier spells on Saturday & for a time on Sunday (Also a fine extended weekend in the Channel Islands). Cloudier, windier with rain at times further N & W, but also bright, briefly sunny interludes. Windy for a time Monday Scotland, Northern Ireland & Northern England.
( Warmest/Sunniest:
Saturday: 23.6degC Northolt [West London]/13.1hr Saughall [Ayrshire]);
Sunday: 21.7degC Shoeburyness [Essex]/8.2hr Jersey [airport]);
Monday: 25.4degC London Weather Centre/12.2hr Jersey [airport] )

(Not quite as bad as forecast: This was the year of the great Foot & Mouth outbreak [FMD] across England & Wales earlier in the year; the government hoped that people would visit the countryside in large numbers [though with restricted access] to offset the slump in the rural economy. Unfortunately, the weather in the worst affected areas of northern & southwestern England was relatively poor.)

2002:(1st - 4th June)
FINE START: THUNDERY BREAKDOWN, BUT SOUTHEAST REASONABLE THROUGHOUT.
[ NB: the 'normal' Late Spring Bank/Public Holiday would have been the previous weekend, but in honour of the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations, and to coincide with the anniversary of the Coronation in 1953 (2nd June), the holiday was 'delayed': strictly, the Monday (3rd) was the extra Jubilee Holiday, and the 4th (Tuesday) was the 'normal' PH.]
> Anticyclonic/southeasterly on Saturday, but a frontal system affecting Ireland, West & northern Scotland; On Sunday, the high gave way to an irregular 'thundery breakdown', the front edging southeastwards, but much of lowland SE England remained fine; On Monday and Tuesday, cyclonic/unsettled and an occlusion within the circulation across the NW. However, SE Britain fared well and missed most of the convective rainfall.
>> Fine/warm for England/Wales on Saturday - superb evening for many, including for the "Classical concert" in the grounds of Buckingham Palace; cloudier, with occasional early rain for Northern Ireland & Scotland, but here skies brightening, with some weak sunshine.
Sunday: Fine/warm or hot (highest temperature so far in 2002) over much of central & Southern England/Wales - increasing amounts medium cloud but plenty of strong sunshine: Cloudier for Northern Ireland/West & Northern Scotland, northwest Wales & northern England, with periods of rain; with some heavy rain/thunderstorms for Northern England & the Scottish Borders during the evening with hail reported & vivid lightning.
Monday: Band of rain/occasionally heavy moved from Ireland (early) across Britain through the day - fragmenting/weakening - followed by showers: frequent showers North & West with thunderstorms Lincolnshire/East Yorkshire; fine end to the day for pop-concert in Buckingham Palace gardens; Tuesday: Sporadic rain southern England morning - clearing; rain or showers over Northern Ireland in the morning - moving to Western Scotland in the afternoon. Further rain reaching the East Channel/SE England for the evening. Fine (if rather cloudy) for Jubilee parades in London, and RAF fly-past.
(Warmest/Sunniest:
Saturday: 24.6degC Leeds [West Yorkshire]/15.1hr Lyneham [Wiltshire];
Sunday: 26.8degC Heathrow [West London]/9.9hr Heathrow [West London];
Monday: 20.1degC Manston [Kent] / 10.3hr Aldergrove [Belfast (NI)];
Tuesday: 18.6degC Shobdon [Hereford & Worcs.]/14.1hr Dyce [Aberdeen])

2003:(24th - 26th May)
SUNSHINE & SHOWERS: FINE/WARM IN EAST AND SOUTH BY MONDAY.
> Cyclonic/showery on Saturday - pressure slowly rising thereafter with ridge extending/building across southern Britain by Monday.
>> Showery on Saturday, but the usual spatial/spring variations - many south coastal areas fine/sunny and across southeastern England, showers either late building, or missing areas completely; however, extreme SE England (& Channel Islands), had evening cloud/rain. Cloudier/showery northwest (& cooler), and heavy showers developed Scotland & N.England by midday.
On Sunday, a fairly straightforward 'sunshine & showers' day, with heavy-widespread showers/downpours in eastern England, accompanied by hail/thunder - fewer showers, more sunshine in west & coastal south.
On Monday, cloud thickening in northwest, with rain moving erratically in from Ireland - coast/hill low cloud/mist by evening in west; further east & south, fine/warm & dry - irregular warm sunshine - not too breezy.
(Warmest/Sunniest:
Saturday: 18.9degC Gravesend [Kent]/11hr Weymouth [Dorset];
Sunday: 19degC Torquay [Devon]/13hr Morecambe [Lancashire];
Monday: 21degC Gravesend [Kent]/14hr Jersey [Channel Isles]).

2004:(29th - 31st May)
SHOWERY - BUT FINE/WARM SUNSHINE TOO: RAIN/WIND SOUTHWEST MONDAY.
> Front / trough moving slowly eastwards on Saturday: this became slow-moving by Sunday near / along the English east coast, clearing eastwards by midday Sunday, but lingered close to NE Scotland. A cyclonic / showery type elsewhere. Frontal system into southwest late Sunday, edging very slowly northeast on Monday.
>> On Saturday, bands of rain of varying intensity crossed from west to east: often light / fragmented in southern England, but heavier central & northern areas, with 5 to 7mm for some in Scotland, Northern Ireland & far northern England. Well-broken cloud, with often sunny skies following: many western British / northern Irish areas having extended fine sunshine (7 to 11hr for many: best in western coastal regions) though with a scattering of sometimes sharpish showers. In eastern (and some central) areas, cloud persistent (though highest temperatures found here), with further outbreaks rain - this lingering well into the evening. Light winds for most, breezier in sunnier/coastal west.
Sunday morning dawned with cloudy skies & persistent rain some eastern English areas - this clearing by late morning: fine/sunny (though with early showers) elsewhere, and further heavy showers developed (4 to 10mm as a general figure), but also with areas prolonged/warm sunshine & many parts of lowland Scotland, North of England, Midlands & many coastal areas had lengthy dry/fine weather (e.g. Western Isles, Anglesey, Cornwall all well over 12hr of bright sunshine): temperatures average or somewhat above with light winds: some places into the 20's C. Turning cloudy across the southwest through evening, with rain into far southwest by midnight.
On Monday, cloud, wind & rain into the far southwest, but a fine, sunny morning elsewhere with light winds: the afternoon also fine/dry for many - warm inland & in sheltered western districts (over 10hr of sunshine many eastern & northern areas / temperatures into the low 20'sC for some (London up to 22degC): cloudier/cooler across northern Scotland with showers here, and thick cloud/rain in southwestern Britain (including much of Wales) became more extensive as it edged northeastwards - 5 to 8mm of rain for many here by mid-evening.
(Warmest/Sunniest:
Saturday: 22.0degC Coltishall [nr. Norwich/Norfolk] (also 22C Margate [Kent] / 11.3hr Tiree [Inner Hebrides];
Sunday: 21.7degC Aboyne [Aberdeenshire]/14.3hr Falmouth [Cornwall];
Monday: 22.6degC Gravesend [Kent]/12.7hr Tiree [Inner Hebrides]).

2005:(28th-30th May)
WINDY/BLEAK IN NORTH SATURDAY; MIXED FORTUNES/SOME SUNSHINE THEREAFTER.
> On Saturday, a deep low (for late May) slow-moving north of Ireland, with a brisk/strong flow affecting all areas. The Low was filling and moving away on Sunday, with a weak ridge over southern Britain; meanwhile a trough approached western areas. A weak, chilly northerly for most on Monday, but with a thundery trough slow to clear the southeast.
>> After the warmest May day for around 50 years on the Friday (& the warmest day since the record-breaking hot spell of August 2003), a major air-mass change occurred overnight Friday / Saturday, and England & Wales saw temperatures tumbling on Saturday. Scotland & Northern Ireland (and far north of England), continued cloudy, with further rain - strong/gale east wind for far northern Scotland/North Isles and a brisk/gusty SW wind for England & Wales. By early afternoon, rain was mainly affecting N & W Scotland and Northern Ireland: largely dry elsewhere - though a lot of cloud, but bright, occasionally sunny spells for central & eastern England, though all areas keep the strong SW winds, and small boat owners got into difficulties in coastal waters. The remainder of the day saw Northern Ireland & Scotland remain cloudy, with further rain, heavy for some parts of Scotland (22mm on Barra in 24hr to 1800GMT, other NW areas 10-20mm in same period); mostly fine England & Wales, with increasing amounts of sunshine: much of East Anglia & Lincolnshire had 11-14hr of bright sunshine ; day maxima SE Britain 18-20degC - though tempered by the strong/gusty wind, and coasts of course were much cooler (despite up to 9 hr of sunshine in many coastal resorts in the south and west). Large areas in the north though only achieved 11 to 13degC, and in the far north just 6 to 8degC.
Sunday started cloudy (with a brisk, though easing west wind) across N.Scotland and the North Isles - further sporadic/showery rain. Elsewhere, a largely dry/fine morning - plenty of sunshine, but areas of thick cloud spoilt things for central and eastern England & cloud developed elsewhere in the north and west; of note, winds were much lighter in many areas than the day before, so although temperatures were nothing spectacular, it didn't feel too chilly. Typical values 15 to 17 degC inland over England & Wales, and up to 18 or so sunnier spots; much cooler around coasts, with best values 13 or 14, despite near unbroken sunshine for some: in fact, on this day, large areas of West & North Wales, the SW of England, Northern England and the West Midlands had 11-13hr of bright sunshine. For Scotland & Northern Ireland, afternoon maxima no better than 11 to 13 for many, and still a cool 8 or 9 in the far north, with a nagging breeze. During the evening, areas of showery rain affected SE England, becoming heavy/prolonged by Monday morning.
So, Bank Holiday Monday (not a general PH in Scotland) dawned wet across more southeastern counties of England; elsewhere, showery rain affected the Midlands and East of England, with torrential showers/thunderstorms breaking out across London and the Home Counties by mid-morning - these storms edged east into East Anglia through the afternoon, with a weak tornado reported from Ely [Cambridgeshire]. Wattisham [Suffolk] collected 19mm from the rain/storms in the morning, and a total of 23.9mm (adding in the overnight rain) in the 24hr up to 1800GMT this day. There was also patchy rain in the far north of Scotland; otherwise fine, dry and sunny for many, after a chilly start in places, and away from the stormier SE and the cloudier, showery north, it was a fine Bank Holiday Monday, with plenty of sunshine, reasonably light winds and only a few isolated showers. Temperatures best where sheltered (e.g. the English south coast & some places inland), and temperatures in northern areas were more disappointing: 14-16 for many populated areas Scotland & N.Ireland.
(Warmest/Sunniest:
Saturday: 23degC Lowestoft [Suffolk] (also 22.4degC Coltishall [nr. Norwich, Norfolk] / 13.5hr Cromer [Norfolk];
Sunday: 19degC Torquay [Devon] (also 18.5degC London MO/rooftop [non-standard] and 18.3degC Malvern [Worcestershire] / 13.1hr Anglesey;
Monday: 20degC Bournemouth [Dorset] (also 19.4degC Malvern [ Worcestershire] / 13.3hr Newquay [Cornwall].

2006:(27th-29th May)
SHOWERY, BREEZY FOR MANY BUT ALSO SUNSHINE; CHILLY IN NORTH.
> On Saturday, a westerly type, with a filling, slow-moving low positioned just south of Iceland & embedded frontal links lying across Ireland & central Britain at dawn, sinking southwards during the day. By Sunday, the front had cleared to the south of Britain, leaving the entire country in a brisk NW'ly flow - with showers - pressure remaining low to the north and NE. On Monday, the whole country affected by an unstable N or NW'ly, rather brisk flow; Low embedded in the flow moving SE, with minor troughs elsewhere.
>> Saturday: Scotland, much of Northern Ireland & the far north of England had a bright, breezy day, with plenty of sunshine but also plenty of showers. Over the Highlands of Scotland, and some other western and northern areas, the showers were frequent and merged to give lengthy periods of rain. Remaining parts of the British Isles started the day cloudy with sporadic rain in a broad belt from Ireland across Wales towards eastern England: as the day progressed, the rain became heavier & persistent, extending southward, as skies brightened from the north, though with a scattering of showers. In the SW of England & South Wales, many coastal & hilly areas kept misty low-cloud with fog for much of the day, these poor conditions extending well inland. By late afternoon elsewhere in the south, mainly dry, fine weather took over as the rain rapidly faded away. Chilly breeze in the north, though technically temperatures close to average: quite pleasant in prolonged sunshine with eastern Scotland up to 17degC and over 8 hr of strong sunshine, despite passing sharp showers; fairly humid and locally warm in the south, but cooler where coasts / hills remained dull & drizzly.
Sunday: Showers still peppered NW & northern Scottish mainland and hilly areas exposed to the brisk west wind, with irregular, often large amounts of cloud cover here - the showers fed well inland over Scotland for a time, for example along the Clyde valley & showers developed elsewhere over Scotland through the afternoon & early evening. Shetland also stayed mostly cloudy, with rain at times. However, as often happens in spring, some islands fared really well: for example Tiree (Inner Hebrides) had 11.0h of bright sunshine (though with 8mm of rain from some sharp showers). It was dry & fine elsewhere under variable, mainly high, cloud - not unbroken sunshine, but not gloomy either - indeed, the sunniest places this day were to the east of major high ground: 9hr Edinburgh & 10 or 11hr parts of North Yorkshire & NE England. Breezy for most, but not too bad overall as temperatures were close to average except in cloudier, windier western & northern coastal & hilly areas. For large inland areas of SE, Central Southern, Midland & eastern England (including East Anglia), maxima achieved 17 or 18degC, and despite the wind & cloud cover, it felt quite warm for a time.
Monday: A chilly day - distinctly cold in many northern & central regions, with snow in heavier showers in mountainous areas: afternoon maxima in many places were some 2 or 3degC below the late-May average, and coupled to the sometimes strong & gusty NW or northerly wind, it was hardly pleasant. An area of thick cloud & persistent rain slipped SE from Northern Ireland, SW Scotland & NW England early in the day, arriving across East Anglia & parts of SE England (though as a fragmenting feature) late afternoon and early evening. Elsewhere (or otherwise), bright, strong sunshine interrupted by sharp, sudden downpours: some thunder (especially in the east), hail & squally winds - overall best described as 'unreliable'! However, during the afternoon & early evening, much of north, mid & west Wales along with the West Country turned dry, fine & reasonably warm out of the wind (though still below average temperatures), though coasts facing the brisk northwesterly wind were cold.
(Warmest/Sunniest:
Saturday: 19degC Prestatyn [Denbighshire](also 18.2degC Harwarden [Flintshire]) / 9.2hr Leuchars [Fife];
Sunday: 18.8degC Lee-on-Solent [Hampshire] / 12.2hr Boulmer [Northumberland];
Monday: 17degC Torquay [Devon] / 12.4hr Camborne [Cornwall]).

2007:(26th-28th May)
WET, COLD & CHEERLESS SUNDAY & MONDAY FOR MANY: VERY SUNNY FAR NW.
> On Saturday, a distorted, weakening ridge crossed the country from the NW, as a developing low moved into the SW Approaches: active troughs crossed northern Britain. By Sunday, the low had reached the Isles of Scilly, on it's way to Northern France. As it transferred, a strengthening N or NE airflow was introduced to all areas. By Monday, the low had reached Normandy, filling as it slowly moved east - this continued to produce a strong, cold north-easterly flow, but winds not quite so strong in the west and NW of the British Isles.
>> Saturday: Although many areas of England & Wales started the day with bright sunshine, large areas of cloud developed by early afternoon, to join the thick cloud already across SE England (including East Anglia): rain was rather hit & miss until mid-afternoon, though for some southeastern & central regions of England, together with western Wales & SW England later, rain became locally persistent & some places turned out quite wet. After a cold start for some (slight air frost Scottish valleys e.g. Aboyne -1.0degC & Eskdalemuir -1.3degC), Scotland & Northern Ireland, together with far northern England, had a showery, bright day, with sunshine between the shower-bands: many parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland & sheltered NE England had between 7 & 10 hr of bright sunshine. A coolish day for most, with a chill northerly breeze in the south & a brisk west or NW'ly in the north: mid-afternoon temperatures for many between 11 & 14degC (some 5 to 7C below average, and notably colder than the previous couple of days). Only along the south-central coastline of England did temperatures exceed the mid-teens, with the warmest spot this day around the Solent estuary (18degC at Lee-on-Solent).
Sunday: A wet day for England, Wales, south & east Scotland, with heavy rain-bands across southern & central Britain. A strengthening E or NE wind, with temperatures held down well below average; in some parts of the Midlands, day maxima no higher than 9degC. At St. Catherine's Point on the Isle of Wight, total rainfall in the 24hr up to 2100GMT was 47 mm, and many other places in central-southern, SE & Midland England had between 15 & 30 mm by midnight. Remaining northern areas of the UK (including western counties of Northern Ireland & the Highlands of Scotland) had mainly dry, sunny conditions (>12hr sunshine far W & N), with just a few scattered showers. However, rain areas developed from northern & western Scotland to Northern Ireland by late afternoon, with only the far NW of Scotland & west of Ulster remaining dry & fine. Despite the sunshine, here too temperatures well down, in the range 11 to 13degC, notably cold for so late in May.
Monday: East & NE England, the Midlands, East Anglia, central- southern England & much of SE England had a cold, windy and wet day (after a very wet, very windy night for some - local wind damage / flooding); parts of the far SE of England though were dry & somewhat brighter at first. Midday / early-afternoon temperatures for many across the E. Midlands, Eastern England, the Home Counties & East Anglia were no better than 7 or 8degC, and this was probably one of the coldest late May days in the modern record. Kenley (Surrey) was officially declared as the coldest place by day with a maximum of 6.6degC, but some spots in this region were even colder. Many stations had day maxima well over 8C below the late May average, plus of course a stiff breeze & periods of rain. Probably the worst holiday of this name (& perhaps any name) in the last 40-odd years for these areas. For the two days of Sunday & Monday, rainfall totals in the south-eastern quadrant of England were widely between 50 & 80 mm, with isolated totals close to 100 mm (e.g. Luton). Across Wales, SW England, NW England, Northern Ireland & much of Scotland, there were showers about, some heavy with hail and thunder, but also a lot of fine, dry & sunny weather too, though rather cold - best temperatures where winds off the sea were around 11 or 12degC; it wasn't as windy as further east so out of the breeze and in prolonged sunshine, just about acceptable, with afternoon maxima in such places around 13 or 14degC (isolated 15degC, e.g. Northern Ireland): large amounts of sunshine too, with many areas exceeding 10hr of bright sunshine, and sheltered parts of Northern Ireland & the Highlands of Scotland fared well, and of course the best sunshine was again reserved for the Hebrides! Tiree for the second day running capturing near-maximum sunshine for the time of year.
(Warmest/Sunniest:
Saturday: 17.8degC Lee-on-Solent [Hampshire] / 11.5hr Kinloss [Morayshire];
Sunday: 15.3degC Plymouth [Devon] / 15.0hr Tiree [Inner Hebrides];
Monday: 14.7degC Killowen [Mourne Mt./South Down] / 15.0hr Tiree [Inner Hebrides]).

2008:(24th-26th May)
SOUTH: OFTEN WET/WINDY- SOME SUN S.COAST; NORTH: FINE/SUNNY (CHILLY NE WIND).
> Saturday: High Norwegian Sea - Faeroes/Iceland region with Low slow-moving across north Biscay & N France: frontal system from the western Channel to N.France, edging north. Strong E'ly flow south & central Britain & N. Ireland. Sunday: High between Iceland & NW Scotland; Low NW Biscay: occluded frontal system S Wales to the Wash. Strong E gradient persists for many. Monday: little change - complex frontal system from South Wales across Southern England, slow-moving: high pressure to the north, low to the south.
>> Saturday: Scattered showers of rain, some fairly 'sharp', affecting parts of Wales, the SW of England and the western Midlands at the start of the day; these became confined to the far southwest by lunchtime. An area of rain edged north to reach the Channel Islands by early afternoon, but other UK mainland areas stayed dry until evening: this area of wet weather finally touched the Wessex coast mid-evening. Otherwise, for many, a day of mixed, often thin cloud cover, with a lot of bright or sunny weather. The best sunshine, as so often in an anticyclonic easterly, was reserved for the northern & western Isles & NW Scotland with some 11 to 15 hr. Elsewhere, a brisk/gusty NE wind much of southern & central Britain & Northern Ireland. Cool all eastern-most areas, especially coastal spots, from the Wash north to the Northern Isles: afternoon maxima in these cooler spots 13 to 15degC (isolated 12degC right on the east coast), otherwise broadly 16-19degC, which is not far from 'normal', but 21 to 23degC across a large swathe of southeast & central-southern England, albeit tempered by the brisk wind. Sheltered southern coasts of Wessex (e.g. Bournemouth, Solent etc.) fared well though clouded over during the afternoon.
On Sunday, the area of moderate or heavy rain continued to move north, affecting all of southern England, the Midlands, East Anglia and southern Wales by 8am: the general rain area was followed by thick low cloud and occasional light rain or drizzle, this giving way in turn across south coastal counties to brighter skies & scattered showers. Overnight rainfall totals reached around 20 mm in SE England, & 15-18 mm across parts of central-southern England, but generally totals were 10 mm or less. Through the day, the area of rain (with extensive low cloud, strong cold NE wind & hill fog), moved further north to reach all of Wales & the Peak District/Lincolnshire. Further north still, most of Scotland (except for the NE/Moray region - persistently cold, windy & cloudy here), Northern Ireland and more northern counties of England had a fine, sunny day, and other northern areas, though cloudy at times, stayed dry. However, with a strong, gusty NE wind from Wales & the Midlands north to central Scotland, once again it felt decidedly chilly on east-facing coasts and over all hills. Eventually warm across south coastal counties of England, and sheltered, western areas across northern Britain & Ireland. Otherwise, chilly - temperatures below average, and cold/miserable in the wetter areas of central England with maxima no better than 13 to 15degC.
Monday: the same 'north/south' split that had dominated the weekend continued. At dawn, a broad swathe of moderate or heavy rainfall was affecting SE Wales & all of southern England (having spread up from France/Channel Islands overnight), accompanied by a strong NE wind, near-gale in some exposed places. As this rain area eased north (and fragmented/weakened), it was responsible for some high rain totals & the cloud persisted all day even when the rain ceased. The wettest place this day was in Devon, at Liscombe with 49.4 mm in the 24hr up to 10pm Monday evening. It was also cold with maximum values in these gloomy areas across the south & Midlands of England, along with much of Wales, between 10 and 13degC and only 9.4degC at Liscombe [Devon]. Going further north, for most of the day, it was cloudy, breezy but dry for the rest of Wales & central England - occasional brighter periods too. But for sparkling weather, once again, apart from morning cloud affecting parts of NE Scotland (Inverness / Speyside / Moray coastline), much of Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern-most counties of England had the third day in a row with fine, sunny conditions: over 12hr of bright sunshine for Northern Ireland, W & NW Scotland & the Northern & Western Isles, with many spots having maximum sunshine values for the time of year (~15hr); the only problem here, as on previous days, was a nagging E/NE wind, which kept eastern coasts and all hills cold. Where well sheltered though, and in strong sunshine, a cracking day!
(Warmest/Sunniest:
Saturday: 23.0degC Solent MRSC [Hampshire++ may not be representative] & 22.6degC Hurn [Dorset] / 15.6hr Fair Isle [Northern Isles];
Sunday: 21.2degC Charlwood [Surrey] / 15.8hr Tiree [Inner Hebrides];
Monday: 19.2degC West Freugh [Dumfries & Galloway] / 16.3hr Fair Isle [Northern Isles]).

2009:(23rd-25th May)
RAIN NW SATURDAY - GLORIOUS DAY SUNDAY - RAIN, SOME THUNDER MONDAY: WARM S & E.
> Saturday: Atlantic frontal system crossing Ireland & Scotland, with a weak ridge following: slack pressure distribution across southern Britain. Sunday: Occluding frontal system ran across the NW of the British Isles; ridge extends from the Azores to the southern North Sea. Monday: Weak frontal link from Northern Ireland, across southern Scotland to NE Scotland & the North Isles; humid flow affected southern Britain.
>> Saturday: Much of England & Wales had a chilly start, with areas of mist (isolated fog in southern England). Thick cloud brought outbreaks of rain, some heavy, across Northern Ireland, west-coastal Scotland, all of NW & Highland Scotland by mid-morning, this damp weather moving north-eastwards across the rest of Scotland & Cumbria, but the rain became patchy - some spots remaining dry. A steady clearance of cloud & rain from the west. Skye had the most rain, with 24mm at Lusa: elsewhere, a fine, sunny morning, but cloudier across N & W of both England & Wales; cloud increasing across southern & Midland England morning/early afternoon, before sunshine returned to give a fine afternoon & evening across much of England, Wales & N. Ireland: 10-13hr sunshine across the West Country, S & SE Wales, the Midlands & Thames Valley. Also warm with 19-22degC for many of these spots - even in the sometimes cloudy SE; cool in the cloudier NW & N, but the Moray Firth saw maxima to 18degC. A blustery, chill wind across the north.
Sunday: Mostly fine & sunny - early isolated fog in SE England, quickly clearing. Cloudier across Scotland & parts of Northern Ireland, but still bright, if breezy, even here: sporadic rain Western Isles. For the bulk of England & Wales (also the Channel Islands), warm (away from some coasts), with strong, near continuous sunshine - widely 10 to 15hr, some 16hr; somewhat cloudier in far southern England towards nightfall. Afternoon maxima widely 20 to 24degC from inland Devon, through Wessex, the Midlands, London & the Home Counties, Central-southern England and on to East Anglia, Lincolnshire & much of Yorkshire. A warmer day (than Saturday) for Northern Ireland and much of south & east Scotland (despite more cloud), with afternoon values 17-19degC; cooler further NW, and many coasts elsewhere had afternoon 'highs' capped at around 16, e.g. Bridlington.
Monday: Thick cloud, bringing outbreaks of rain, some moderate/heavy, spread north from the Channel Islands, across the Channel then over southern England through the morning. Although the rain tended to decay as it moved north, there was thunder, and heavy rain clipped the far SW & far SE of England; however, individual station amounts weren't great, generally less than 5 mm. It was also cloudy with very light/patchy rain across Northern Ireland, north & west Scotland, but many here stayed dry. Elsewhere, a fine, sunny morning, and strong sunshine returned to the Channel Isles and much of southern England as the rain cleared away. Over the rest of the day, cloud bands moved northeast, with showery-rain breaking out again - and thundery clusters latter afternoon SE England & East Anglia, though again, before midnight rainfall amounts were not of particular note. Warm again over much of lowland central & eastern England (22-24degC), but chilly some coasts (e.g. Bridlington 14degC, others 15 or 16degC); also a cool day for many western and northern areas - with much reduced sunshine.
(Warmest/Sunniest:
Saturday: 23.3degC London/rooftop [not representative], also 21.7degC Cranwell [Lincolnshire] / 13.2hr Bedford [Bedfordshire];
Sunday: 25.9degC London/rooftop [not representative], also 24.2degC Northolt & Heathrow [both Middlesex/W. London]/ 16.0hr Norwich airport [Norfolk];
Monday: 24.8degC London/rooftop [not representative], also 23.9degC Northolt [Middlesex/W. London] / 12.6hr Shap [Cumbria]).

- - - 2010s - - -

2010:(29th-31st May)
COOL, RAINY SATURDAY, THEN STEADILY DRIER; FINE/WARM NORTHERN BRITAIN ON MONDAY.
> Saturday: A Low over SW Ireland at daybreak moved slowly east, with associated complex frontal systems affecting most areas; old occlusion slow-moving across northern Scotland. Sunday: Yesterday's low now in the central North Sea: N/NW airflow for most. Old frontal system affecting E Britain, with warm front edging into SW. Monday: Low pressure Europe with N/NE flow across East England; ridge of high pressure N-S dominating much of West & N Britain; weakening frontal system across the far SW.
>> Saturday: East, Central & Northern England had a dry start to the day, but areas of rain, moderate occasionally heavy, already across Ireland, Wales & SW England spread north & eastward, affecting most remaining areas by late morning; a band of mainly light rain was slow-moving across north & NW Scotland; a brisk, gusty wind for many southern areas of Britain - thoroughly unpleasant with depressed temperatures. Soon into the afternoon, rain spread across the remainder of the country, though Shetland stayed mostly dry & bright (~5 hr sunshine but note that at this time of year, potential sunshine totals are well over 18 hr here); cloud broke somewhat across SW Britain, but heavy showers developed inland. The best of rather limited sunshine was found in sheltered E & NE Scotland (7hr Leuchars, Fife & nearly 9 hr at Dyce, near Aberdeen) & fitful sun returned to SW Britain later. Humid in the south but day maxima only 15 to 17degC and a couple of degrees cooler further north - some exposed coasts here just 11 or 12degC.
Sunday: Rain, some heavy, affected E & NE Scotland & much of Yorkshire & NE England during the morning: slow-moving, but fragmenting with time; elsewhere (including the Northern Isles) a fine, bright or sunny morning, but thick cloud brought patchy light rain into the Isles of Scilly by lunchtime. During the afternoon, heavy showers took the place of the rain across Linclolnshire, Norfolk and parts of Yorkshire, with isolated thunderstorms developing for a time; meanwhile, cloud spread further across SW England, bringing sporadic rain across Cornwall & later SW Devon. Otherwise a fine, dry afternoon & evening with plenty of sunshine, though with cloudy-infill for some southern & central areas of Scotland. The best sunshine figures turned up across the far N & W of Scotland & the Islands, with more than 11hr generally, and the Isle of Man & Shetland enjoyed 12 or 13hr. A blustery NW wind for much of England & Wales, gusty in the cloudier east; with maxima here no better than 15 or 16degC, it was hardly a pleasant day & along the North Sea coasts from the Humber to NE Scotland, temperatures barely reached 12degC. Maxima elsewhere a couple of degrees below average, but 18 to 20 degC widely across London, the southern Home Counties & much of inland Wessex.
Monday: Scotland, Northern Ireland, NE & NW England, the Isle of Man and most of Wales had a fine, sunny day. Much of Scotland for example, with the exception of Shetland, along with most of Wales & the Isle of Man achieved 10 to 15 hours of bright sunshine. Cloudy, with pockets of rain or drizzle (mainly East Anglia) across eastern counties of England (including London & the southeast) during the morning, though some relief in the afternoon as the drizzle faded and the cloud broke a little; it was also cloudy across the far southwest of England, though overnight rain cleared not long after dawn. Little change latter part of the afternoon & early evening though skies clouded up more in the west of Wales & SW England. Warm inland Scotland, Northern Ireland and much of northern England, with local 20 or 21 in Scotland. Just 15 or 16 East Anglia, London & the SE, but much colder North Sea coasts of Scotland & NE England: only 12 or 13degC for many here. For all though, the wind much lighter than the previous two days.
(Warmest/Sunniest:
Saturday: 17.6degC Jersey airport [Channel Islands] / 8.9hr Dyce [Aberdeen airport];
Sunday: 20.3degC Heathrow airport [West London / Middlesex]/ 12.9hr Lerwick [Shetland Islands];
Monday: 21.3degC Kinlochewe [Wester Ross] / 14.7hr Stornoway [Lewis / Western Isles]).

2011:(28th-30th May)
SE ENGLAND WARM. SHOWERY/WINDY NORTH SATURDAY & SUNDAY. RAIN FOR MOST MONDAY.
> Saturday: Complex low between Scotland and Iceland with a brisk 'Atlantic' westerly flow across all areas. Waving cold front moving slowly southeastwards over Wales & England, but stalling across southern English counties. Sunday: Low (complex) from N. Scotland to the Faeroes with a brisk westerly once again for many areas; cold frontal band (breaking - up) moving southward across England & Wales. Monday: Waving cold front slowly edging SE across England; showery westerly flow in the north.
>> Saturday: Southern England & the Channel Islands - mostly cloudy with a nagging, gusty wind bringing fragmenting bands of rain from west to east, but many spots dry, or mainly so. Northern Ireland, most of Wales, central and northern England and the Isle of Man - morning thick cloud with sporadic rain steadily clearing on a blustery west wind to sunny conditions, with some showers - these mainly over Ulster, Irish Sea coastal areas and Cumbria / Lake District; much of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire & NE England had a fine, if 'blowy' afternoon & evening. Conversely, persistent rain under leaden skies spread across Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man & NW England by early evening. For Scotland a bright, windy day - sunshine certainly, but also plenty of showers in the north & west, some heavy and lengthy. In contrast, eastern Scotland & the eastern borders had a fine day. Temperatures were considerably depressed for late May - 11 to 14degC northern & western UK, 14 to 17degC sheltered eastern areas of Scotland and NE England & 15 to 18degC (pockets 19 or 20) remaining areas of SE Britain.
Sunday: Another windy day! NW Scotland, the Highlands & the Isles had a cloudy morning with lengthy spells of rain, heavy for some, though Shetland stayed bright & dry until later in the afternoon and other areas turned bright, showery from the west. Other areas of the British Isles started the day with a lot of cloud, and a scattering of rain or drizzle in places - the cloud thinned & fragmented as the day progressed, with occasional sunshine - eventually strong sunshine for Northern England, Northern Ireland, eastern & southern Scotland & northern Wales, with 7 to 9 hr of bright sunshine for many. Across southern Britain & also the Channel Islands, the cloud proved more stubborn (pockets of drizzly-rain for some) but increasing sunny spells & by mid-afternoon it was generally fine & dry in these southern districts with a mainly fine evening to follow; a common 'holiday' exception was east Kent, where the day was sunny, warm & dry. Temperatures for Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, the Midlands, East Anglia and SE England generally 18 to 21degC (spots to 22degC) but further north and west, 14 to 17degC, and only 12 or 13degC in the wetter north & west of Scotland.
Monday: Scotland, Northern Ireland & the Isle of Man - a bright day (and much less windy) with sunny periods & showers: heavy, frequent & slow-moving showers in the north & west (isolated thunder coasts & hills), fewer showers, more sunshine elsewhere - some parts of Scotland had over 10 hours of sunshine, with 12-14 hours in the Northern Isles, though the day length here does lend itself to high figures at this time of year. East Anglia, SE England and the Channel Islands - dry, with bright morning sunshine, but cloud encroaching from the west, bringing sporadic rain to most areas late afternoon or early evening. In between, west and northern England, most of Wales and the English Midlands had many hours of overcast, misty weather (areas coast fog in the SW) with a good deal of rain: 10 to 15 mm in a broad belt from south & mid Wales through the north & west Midlands (16 or so mm Birmingham area) in the 24hr to 7pm. The weather slowly picked up from the west over Wales, northern and southwest England - with late sunshine & a few showers. Temperatures widely below average, typically between 14 and 17degC (many north/north-western coastal areas no higher than 11 or 12degC). However, afternoon temperatures reached into the low-twenties across the sunny, dry East Anglian & Home Counties areas.
(Warmest/Sunniest:
Saturday: 19.7degC Coningsby [Lincolnshire] / 12.1hr Leuchars [Fife];
Sunday: 22.5degC Charsfield [Suffolk]/ 9.7hr Manston [Kent];
Monday: 23.7degC Norwich airport [Norfolk] / 13.6hr Lerwick [Shetland]).
[ NB: this holiday came at the end of a spring that was notably dry across the southeastern 'third' of England & even the rain that fell later on Monday tended to do little more than dampen the ground temporarily.]

NOTES RELATING TO WHITSUN, PENTECOST ETC.
The Christian festival of Whitsun has its origins in a Jewish celebration. The Apostles (of Christ) were gathered together in Jerusalem for the 'Feast of Pentecost', which is usually taken to be a thanksgiving for the first fruits of the harvest; it is also considered a celebration and commemoration of the receiving of the Ten Commandments by Moses on Mount Sinai. The Bible describes what happens thus: (King James version; Acts, Chapter 2, 1-4)
" And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance ".

It is said that the origins of the Christian Church were laid with this event, hence its significance. The name Pentecost comes from the Greek 'pentecoste', which means 'fiftieth'. The festival is held fifty days after Easter. In England, from Anglo-Saxon times, this Sunday (the 7th after Easter), is known as 'Whit Sunday' (or White Sunday); it is the traditional time for new members to join the Church and the term White (or Whit) Sunday comes from the white garments which were worn for the ceremony, particularly by those being newly received. Whitsuntide is taken to be Whit Sunday itself, and the days immediately following. In Scotland, Whitsun is the name of a (fixed-date) term day, the 15th May and is thus not directly linked to the aforementioned Church festival.

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