Morning:
14°c
Hottest day and storms predicted for bank holiday weekend
22.05.09
Sun lovers will be donning shorts and t-shirts this bank holiday weekend with forecasters predicting the highest temperatures of the year so far.
But people were urged to enjoy the sun while it shines, as the weather on Monday will be increasingly unsettled with some thunderstorms.
MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said some parts of southern England will see temperatures reach 23C (73F) on Sunday.
This would surpass the current year-so-far record of 22.1C (72F) reached in East Malling, Kent, in mid-April.
However, the weekend is likely to get off to a wet start in northern Ireland, Scotland and parts of northern England tomorrow as bands of rain move in from the north Atlantic.
Elsewhere tomorrow, forecasters are predicting sunshine and scattered showers.
The mercury will mostly hover in the high teens but in London temperatures could reach 22C (72F).
Tom Tobler, forecaster at MeteoGroup, said: "It could get quite wet across northern Ireland and Scotland for a time tomorrow, and there will be a fair amount of cloud and some rain in northern England.
"Low pressure circling in the north Atlantic close to Iceland and Greenland will cause the wet weather front to swing towards the UK tomorrow."
He said the best of the sunshine will be seen on Sunday.
"There will be highs of 23C (73F) around London and up to 20C (68F) elsewhere.
"There should be good weather across the country and it will be mostly dry.
"On Monday the weather will be unsettled with some heavy rain spreading across the UK and possible thunderstorms in eastern England - but there will still be temperatures of 20-22C (68-72F) in the south."
The forecast is good news for those spending the holiday at home but is also likely to lead to more congestion on the roads.
Today is set to be the busiest getaway day - both on the roads and at air and sea ports.
Airport operator BAA has said 1.68 million passengers will pass through its seven UK airports in the period from today to bank holiday Monday.
The AA has said that road journey times could increase by 50% today when there is likely to be a third more traffic than normal on popular routes, with traffic building up from lunchtime.
Those taking trains over the holiday will find dozens of engineering projects in place that will mean a number of companies having to put on buses instead of trains on some routes.
The worst day on the railways is likely to be Sunday, when there are 38 separate engineering work projects taking place.
Reader views (10)
Reuben must be either a henpecked husband, a priest, or just a moany old killjoy curmudgeon who can't stand to see people enjoying themselves, just because (for whatever reason) he can't!
- Napoleon Blownaparte, London
Goggs, London: Yes, SHEEPLE. Just look at the absolute chaos on all motorways as those SHEEPLE tear about in their stupid cars for the Bank Holiday weekend. MAD. It will not be long before every road is solid with cars and people will have televisions, microwaves, washing machines and showers installed in their cars and the traffic will all be at a permanent standstill.
The UK has been transformed into a banana republic by the Labour Government.
Have a happy Bonk Holiday peeps!!
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe UK
Reuben - "Sheeple"... I love it!!!
- Goggs, London
Reuben, stress out, calm in and relax!
- Not Exactly A Looney Lefty!, The real world
Reuben, Are you an albino? When it gets warm people dont want to fully cover their boby up & sweat all day. We do not get too many nice warm days in the UK, so when it does get warm, people dont feel the need to keep wrapped up as if it was winter.
As for the comments on shorts/cut-offs, what is your problem? People can wear what they want, and they do.
It sounds to me as if you need to spend 12 months a year out of the UK rather than 6 if you do not like the UK that much.
- Dom, London
Isabel, Woking: "People feel too worn down".
THEY SHOULD ALL TAKE A HOLIDAY TO SUNNY MORECAMBE AND ENJOY THE MILES OF BEAUTIFUL SANDY BEACHES!!
As for the comment made by Tom, London: Incorrect Tom. My home is in Morecambe, Lancashire and I spend at least six months abroad every year. That way I feel I am entitled to describe the people in the UK as sheeple, as I have the excellent comparison of HOW citizens live their lives to the full in other countries - without having their human rights infringed at every turn.
The UK has turned into an unpleasant rag-bag of discontent with politicians believing they are running a jackboot autocracy.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe UK
Spare a thought for us losers. I have yet to hear a plausible reason why we in Aberdeen don't have this Bank Holiday. One Scotsman said it was out of spite, and I can believe him. The only consolation is at least the forecast here is bad.
- Albert Swift, Aberdeen, Scotland
Poor Reuben, just because we're all being fleeced by the corrupt politicians doesn't mean we shouldn't enjoy the sunshine does it? Agreed - we should be storming parliament and ousting our leaders as opposed to sitting on the beach in silly shorts but I think people feel too worn down by everything to do that. They just want to enjoy the weather while it lasts. And stop being mean about Brighton - it can't help being pebbly! 
- Isabel, Woking
Thats why your here!
- Tom, LONDON
"MAD DOGS AND ENGLISHMEN GO OUT IN THE MIDDAY SUN".
The English only need the sun to shine for five minutes before they start wearing those stupid cut-off jeans and trousers (which should be BANNED from anyone over the age of EIGHT).
Sensible people in civilised countries cover up their bodies when the sun shines.
Peeps in the UK are like sheep - they are really sheeple.
Peeps in the UK are allowing MP's to help themselves to taxpayer's cash - in any other country there would be mobs out on the streets.
What will the English be doing IF the sun shines on Bank Holiday Monday - yes! you guessed! They will be crammed onto the rocky apology for a beach at Brighton, exposing their gross bodies to the harmful rays of the sun, wearing those stupid cut-off jeans and trousers and looking like idiots.
Meanwhile, MORE and MORE MP's are being exposed for their deceit and fraud of Joe Public's cash.
What a very sad country the UK is.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe UK
