This bank holiday weekend is arguably the most wretched public holiday of the year. Far from being a balmy sun-kissed end to the summer, it often ushers in a chilly nip in the air and an unpleasant reminder that autumn is just around the corner. Last year was a case in point; it was especially wet across the southern half of England and Wales on the Monday, although there were sunny spells. The best of the weather was north of the border where it was dry with bright warm sunshine — although there is no bank holiday in late August in Scotland.
There have been far worse weather horrors, though. In 1986 the remains of tropical storm Charley struck with fierce winds, lashings of rain and bitter cold. The inaugural Birmingham Superprix motor race through the streets of the city had to be abandoned halfway through after most of the drivers crashed. Once again, Scotland enjoyed the best weather of the UK.
Perhaps the most dramatic weather was in 1976. The long heat and drought of that summer suddenly broke down in a spectacular washout over the holiday weekend. Eastern England suffered the worst of the deluge, setting off floods and landslides, and a tornado struck near King’s Lynn in Norfolk. Gatwick was shut by fog and the M5 in Exeter came to a standstill in floods. The dreadful downpours carried on into bank holiday Monday with more heavy rains and thunderstorms.
Over the past 30 years, only one in three bank holiday Mondays have been largely dry. Late August is over two months from the summer solstice and the hours of daylight are now dwindling noticeably, so it’s no surprise that average temperatures tend to drop off — the highest temperatures of the year tend to come earlier in August or July. The only saving grace is that the seas around Britain are now at their warmest, although it’s still a brave soul who dares to swim.