Blue skies, soaring temperatures - summer pops in for the bank holiday

The skies are blue, temperatures are expected to climb as high as 26C (79F), and the wet and windy weather that has been a depressing fixture of recent weeks is expected to stay away - even on Monday. Although forecasters predict it will get cooler as the weekend continues, the rain is expected to stay away.

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While a number of areas have enjoyed dry and sunny conditions in the last few days, London and south-east England has endured cold, wet and windy weather.

This weekend, however, it is only the unfortunately Scotland and Northern Ireland that are predicted to get any rain.

"It's going to be a lot better than it's been, particularly for those living in southern England," said Matt Dobson, of MeteoGroup UK, the weather division of the Press Association.

"Although it will get cooler over the weekend, it should stay fine in England and Wales right through to well into next week.

"There were some patches of fog about earlier in the day but it looks like most of those will have disappeared quickly once the sun came out.

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"It will be dry next week but cooler too, between 17C (63F) and 20C (68F), so it will not be a bad week."

The weather may be improving but the bank holiday traffic woes remain the same.

Yesterday thousands of drivers heading off early for the break were stuck in long traffic jams after a shooting incident closed a section of motorway.

Miles-long queues built up on the M5 heading to the popular holiday area of the West Country, after the road was closed in both directions between junctions 12 and 13 south of Gloucester.

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To make matters worse for motorists in the area, there were delays further south on the M5 in Somerset following accidents, including one in which a lorry overturned.

Despite the lifting of some roadworks, the Highways Agency said a number of busy routes would still have works in place.

These include the M1 between junctions 6a and 10 near Luton in Bedfordshire and the M4 at junction 12 near Reading.

UK tourism chiefs were hoping the good weather forecast would help attractions and resorts make up for some of the many wash-outs they have endured this summer.

The VisitBritain organisation said 19 per cent of Britain's adult population planned an overnight trip over the last two weeks in August.

VisitBritain's marketing director Mike Bedingfield said: "It's great news that nearly one in five of us are planning to take a break here in our own country. It will give a much-needed boost to parts of the tourism industry after a challenging start to the summer.

"Whatever the weather, there's always something for visitors to enjoy - from rural escapes and outdoor pursuits to superlative attractions indoors and out."

Of course, a little bit of sunshine always helps.