Rain and showers for UK bank holiday weekend to mark end of warm spell

Just days ago, parts of the UK basked in record May warmth - with the hottest day of the year so far reaching 29.3C at Kew Gardens on 1 May.

We have already had more sunshine this spring than the whole of summer last year.

Some areas of the UK have gone three weeks with no measurable rain. The Environment Agency has warned we are at 'medium' risk of drought without significant rainfall.

But the high pressure which has been in charge so far this month bringing us that warm and sunny weather is on the move with everything set to change this weekend as low pressure moves in from the Atlantic, bringing a spell of much-needed rain.

On Saturday it will be a cloudy start for most. The best of any sunshine is likely to be in the south-east of England. There will be some patchy rain at times in the west, with the heaviest bursts and strongest winds across north-west Scotland. Temperatures will range between 17–20C.

Sunday is likely to be the better day of the weekend. A mixture of sunshine and showers, mostly in the north and west, with gusts exceeding 45mph. It will feel cooler in the showers, with highs of 14-17C, but further south and east - it will be a little warmer, potentially reaching 22C.

Then for bank holiday Monday, with low pressure still anchored to the north of the UK, the showery theme continues. Expect a blustery day of sunshine and showers, and some of these could be heavy and thundery.

The late May bank holiday doesn't have the best track record for sunshine.

Over the past two decades, just seven out of 20 have been dry or mostly dry across the UK.

The other thirteen were marked by rain or cooler, unsettled conditions - and this year looks likely to follow that well-worn path.

Do not expect any significant change in the weather pattern as we move into the following week.

The outlook remains changeable, with sunshine, showers and blustery winds continuing into early June. Keep an eye on the forecast for your area – check BBC Weather online or our BBC Weather app.