Summer starts with a soaking as mixed weather to continue
Meteorological summer begins this Sunday, but don't pack away the umbrellas just yet.
While warmer, more humid air is on the way, bringing the potential for highs of 25-26C in sunnier spots, a fresh wave of unsettled weather is expected to dampen the start of the season.
With rain, brisk winds, and only fleeting sunshine on the cards, it's a summer kick-off that feels more spring than sizzle.
After a shift in the weather since the long Bank Holiday weekend, some areas have finally seen some much-needed rain.
That said, it hasn't been a washout by any means.
Several days have brought sunnier skies, contributing to what has already been a record-breaking month for sunshine hours, both for May and for spring as a whole.
Despite brisk winds, showers, and occasional longer spells of rain, it has stayed on the mild side thanks to the moisture in the air.
As we approach the end of the month, temperatures are set to rise, potentially reaching 25-26C, or even higher, in any sunshine on Saturday.
This is due to warmer, more humid air being drawn up from the Continent.
However, it won't be a settled, sunny setup. A westerly breeze and outbreaks of rain are expected, particularly in the north and west.
This mixed and changeable weather pattern will continue into the first few days of June.
Meteorological summer officially begins at the start of the month (though nature's summer is more often marked by the solstice later in June).
With it, we say goodbye to the consistent high-pressure systems that brought dry, sunny conditions through much of spring.
Instead, low-pressure systems will move in from the mid-Atlantic, accompanied by brisk westerly winds and rain, again, most frequent in the north and west, much like this past week.
Some days will be wetter than others, but there will be a mix of sunshine and scattered showers, all moving through fairly quickly on the westerly flow.
Temperatures will feel noticeably cooler at times.
After a muggy spell in southern and southeastern areas this week and into the weekend, expect a fresher feel in the days to come.
The good news? With the longest days of the year approaching, there are plenty of daylight hours for skies to clear and weather to improve.
There's a high chance of clearer, brighter evenings on the horizon.
What is meteorological Summer?
Summer in the meteorological calendar covers the duration of June, July and August, or by the astronomical calendar it begins around mid-June on a day referred to as the summer solstice.
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