The Bank Holiday washout hasn’t dampened the spirits of festival-goers in Leeds and Oxfordshire today, as they danced in the rain, while bog-snorkellers swam through muddy waters in Wales.
Revellers clutched their umbrellas and clung onto their raincoats as heavy showers worked their way across the country this afternoon.
Some regions are experiencing 40mph winds while parts of south west England face up to 60mm of rain today.
The dismal conditions are being made worse by miles of roadworks on the motorways and scores of train cancellations due to the closure of London Euston station for engineering works.
But there is hope of some sunshine tomorrow, which will mean a brighter day for people at Notting Hill Carnival, who are having to make do with a soggy first day in west London this afternoon.
Rain hasn’t dampened spirits at Leeds Festival today, where revellers (pictured) are reaching for their waterproofs so they can sing and dance through the heavy showers
It might be raining, but it’s perfect weather for the annual World Bog Snorkelling Championships in Waen Rhydd, Wales today
Large parts of Britain are due a Bank Holiday washout today with heavy rain expected to fall across the country. Pictured: Dark skies blow over beach huts on West Mersey Beach in Essex, where temperatures will stay mild but there will be wind and rain
Rain, what rain? A carnival-goer in London’s Notting Hill is pictured with a colourful umbrella to fend off showers today
Festival goers in Leeds quickly abandoned summer clothes and adorned hoodies, baseball caps and raincoats at the festival today. A young woman is pictured in a yellow raincoat left and man in blue right
For those mourning the recent heatwave, however, forecasters are predicting another Indian summer, as the El Nino weather phenomenon is set to bring hotter-than-usual temperatures until November.
Temperatures will reach a high of 18C in London today. Bank Holiday trippers will be greeted with temperatures of 17C in Brighton and 16C in Blackpool.
Met Office meteorologist Sarah Kent said: ‘We’ve got outbreaks of rain quite widely and that rain will be heavy. We’re looking at thickening cloud bringing heavy rain into western areas and then that spreads across all parts.
‘The strongest winds are tied in with the heaviest rain. For a time we will see the wind gusting at 40mph. The most frequent gusts will be along Irish Sea coasts.’
Festival goers in Leeds and Oxfordshire, where The Big Feastival is taking place, didn’t appear to be bothered by the bad Bank Holiday weather, smiling as they clutched their umbrellas and hid underneath raincoats.
The World Bog Snorkelling Championships also went ahead despite dismal conditions in Wales, with contestants plunging into the muddy depths in their name of their unusual sport.
Bit nippy? A man (left) and woman (right) are pictured with their snorkels for the World Bog Snorkelling Championships in Waen Rhydd peat bog in Wales
The spirits of these Notting Hill Carnival dancers weren’t dampened by the rain as they clutched onto umbrellas in west London on Sunday afternoon
Gloomy Bank Holiday weather hasn’t stopped these revellers enjoying the first day of Notting Hill Carnival in west London
Moody skies: West Mersey beach in Essex is pictured covered in grey cloud this morning as the Bank Holiday washout continues
Temperatures are expected to rise tomorrow. Ms Kent said: ‘Some parts will see bright spells on Monday although it’s going to be a rather cloudy day. There are going to be a few showers around.’
There were 90-minute delays yesterday on the M6 as it was closed while emergency services dealt with a man standing on the wrong side of bridge railings above junction 10. West Midlands Police said the man was detained under the Mental Health Act.
Today, there are roadworks on 11 miles of the M23, a 20-mile M6 section (junctions 16-19) and a 14-mile M6 stretch (junctions 2-4).
Commenting on the hotter weather to come, a Met Office spokesman said: ‘Heat released by El Nino events typically drives a short-lived spike in global temperatures.
Bank Holiday celebrations at the Big Feastival in Kingham, Oxfordshire weren’t put off by the rain, as revellers wore raincoats and clutched onto their umbrellas as Craig David, Paloma Faith and Basement Jaxx performed to crowds of thousands
Festival-goers at the Big Feastival in Kingham, Oxfordshire did not let the Bank Holiday washout affect their mood today
This woman hasn’t been bogged down by the bad weather. She is pictured taking part in the World Bog Snorkelling Championships at the Waen Rhydd peat bog in Llantrtyd Wells in Wales today as rain continues across the country
Stewards at Notting Hill Carnival protect themselves from showers in west London this afternoon with matching raincoats
‘A region marked ‘warmer likely’ in El Nino conditions means a greater than 50 per cent chance that the temperature will be in the top third of temperatures observed in the season.’
Met Office forecaster Greg Dewhurst said: ‘Largely fine weather is expected from Thursday. In the period to September 22, it is most likely much of the UK will see a good deal of dry, warm and settled weather.
‘Daytime temperatures are expected to be above average overall, especially in the South and East where it may become very warm – and with the warmer conditions perhaps spreading further North and West at times.’
The Met Office long-range forecast to the end of October said: ‘The likelihood of above-average temperatures is greater than normal.’
Two women cover up to try and shield themselves from the downpour at Leeds Festival today. Despite the rain, people were still enjoying the festival
You can do it! A competitor is pictured completing a race at the World Big Snorkelling Championships in Wales today
These bog snorkellers worked together as part of a Loch Ness Monster-themed team to compete in the World Bog Snorkelling Championships in Wales today