Britain is set for a mixed bag of weather this week following a cloudy summer solstice this morning, with heavy rain due on some days while others will bring sunshine and 71F (21C) temperatures.
As astronomical summer begins on the longest day of the year, downpours were expected throughout much of today in southern England – ruining views for those who had got up early to watch the sun rise before 5am.
A low pressure system situated over the Bay of Biscay brought a frontal system into southern England where it will be cloudy with rain for most of today, but much of the rest of the UK could enjoy sunny spells.
It will be cool in southern areas under the cloud and rain today, but warmer in any sunnier areas – with highs of 59F (15C) in the South of England, 64F (18C) in the North, Midlands and Wales, and 64F (17C) in Scotland.
In the Scottish Highlands, temperatures fell low enough this morning for a touch of grass frost – and sunrise was at 4.26am. For England, it was 4.35am in the North, 4.43am in the South East and 5.05am in the South West.
It comes after maximum temperatures got to at least 70F (21C) somewhere in Britain for the 25th day in a row yesterday, with Armagh in Northern Ireland the UK hotspot with 71.1F (21.7C). However the conditions are far cooler than those seen last week which brought the hottest day of 2021 so far as London hit 85.5F (29.7C) on June 14.
A group of friends go for a swim on the morning of the summer solstice at Saltburn-by-the-Sea in North Yorkshire today
A surfer carries his board to the water on the morning of the summer solstice at Saltburn-by-the-Sea in North Yorkshire today
Two friends watch the sunrise on the morning of the summer solstice at Saltburn-by-the-Sea in North Yorkshire today
Police dispersed a gathering of druids and sun-worshippers at Stonehenge in Amesbury, Wiltshire, early this morning
A large number of people enter the closed site at the ancient Wiltshire monument this morning to mark the summer solstice
Thousands of revellers waving banners and dancing on stones ignored advice not to travel to the neolithic site today
Tonight, cloudy conditions are expected to remain across southern England with rain lingering - but during the night, this rain will become lighter and should retreat southwards, affecting just the far south by dawn.
Elsewhere will be mainly dry with clear spells and variable cloud, with sunset not expected until 10.03pm in Scotland, 9.41pm in the North of England, 9.31pm in the South West and 9.21pm in the South East.
