UK weather: Temperatures halve in 24 hours with 2C today

Just hours ago Britain was bathing in beautiful sunshine following the hottest late August Bank Holiday on record.

But the weather in the UK has taken quite a turn today with daytime temperatures cut in half,and torrential downpours set to sweep across the country, bringing an abrupt end to sweltering heat and clear blue skies.

Temperatures have dropped from about 30C (86F) to 15C (59F) in some areas, and there could even be a touch of frost in the North later in the week. Last night, the mercury plummeted to just 2C (36F) in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire.

Among the areas experiencing a huge drop in temperatures today is Frittenden in Kent, which was the hottest place in Britain yesterday with a reading of 29.3C (85F).

Boscombe beach in Dorset today

Boscombe beach in Dorset was packed on Sunday (left) but is now deserted (right) today after the weather has turned

Bournemouth beach in Dorset on Friday
Bournemouth beach in Dorset today

Bournemouth beach in Dorset looked very busy last Friday (left) but there is nobody to be seen there today (right)

Boscombe beach in Dorset on Sunday
Boscombe beach in Dorset today

Boscombe beach in Dorset was busy with sunseekers on Sunday (left) but there is nearly no one at all there today (right)

A woman wears a raincoat as she drives her mobility scooter through a downpour this morning in Portsmouth, Hampshire

A woman wears a raincoat as she drives her mobility scooter through a downpour this morning in Portsmouth, Hampshire

A woman shelters under her umbrella as she walks along the pavement as the rain begins to fall in Portsmouth this morning

A woman shelters under her umbrella as she walks along the pavement as the rain begins to fall in Portsmouth this morning

Temperatures yesterday

Temperatures today

Temperatures are halving from about 30C (86F) yesterday to 15C (59F) today in some areas as conditions suddenly change

This helped make yesterday the hottest day of August so far – but the same area is only expected to get to 15C (59F) today, representing a remarkable turnaround in the weather in less than 24 hours.

Temperatures hit 28.2C (82.8F) in Holbeach, Lincolnshire, on Monday – exceeding the previous 1984 record of 27.2C (81F) in East Bergholt, Suffolk. A ridge of high pressure caused the humid weather over the last few days.

It saw sun seekers flock to Britain’s coastal hotspots – while holidaymakers in the Mediterranean hid under umbrellas as storms hit the Spanish coast.

But the mercury is predicted to drop to the mid-teens over the next few days, with the prospect of some frost in some areas of northern England by the end of the week.

Temperatures have been falling continuously since yesterday afternoon and are expected to continue to do so into tomorrow

Met Office senior forecaster Marco Petagna, said: ‘There is no sign of any prolonged period of hot weather.

‘Monday was pretty warm but things are going to be turning much cooler, with a three-way split across the country.’

‘There will be scattered showers and it will feel quite breezy – there is even scope for a little bit of frost later in the week.’

Mr Petagna said it would be ‘much cooler’ in the South West of England, Wales and the Midlands due to scattered rainfall and cloudy skies.

In Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North of England temperatures might only reach 15C (59F) to 18C (64F).

But it will be warmer in the South East by the weekend, with temperatures going back into the 20s Celsius.

People shelter from the rain in their beach hut on Bournemouth beach in Dorset today with the weather now having turned

People shelter from the rain in their beach hut on Bournemouth beach in Dorset today with the weather now having turned

A lady walks along Boscombe pier in Dorset today wearing far more layers than she would have needed yesterday

A lady walks along Boscombe pier in Dorset today wearing far more layers than she would have needed yesterday

Paddle boarders make their way along Bournemouth beach in Dorset today but few other people were out on the coast

Paddle boarders make their way along Bournemouth beach in Dorset today but few other people were out on the coast

A woman walks under an umbrella as a man shelters on a deckchair along the esplanade on Bournemouth in Dorset today

A woman walks under an umbrella as a man shelters on a deckchair along the esplanade on Bournemouth in Dorset today

A woman walks with an umbrella along the sand of Bournemouth beach in Dorset today as temperatures fall around the UK

A woman walks with an umbrella along the sand of Bournemouth beach in Dorset today as temperatures fall around the UK

Weather forecaster Meteogroup UK said today will be cloudy throughout southern and central areas of Britain, with a chance of ‘showery outbreaks of rain’.

Showers are expected in the West, but sunny and bright spells are predicted for northern areas.

The company said there would be sunny spells tomorrow, but with possible chances of thundery and heavy showers – particularly across northern and central areas.

The South East is predicted to remain largely dry for tomorrow, but heavy showers might break out across eastern England on Friday.

The West and North look like they will stay largely bright and dry with some sunny intervals.

People enjoy the warm weather on the beach in Broadstairs, Kent, yesterday as temperatures made it up to 85F in some areas

People enjoy the warm weather on the beach in Broadstairs, Kent, yesterday as temperatures made it up to 85F in some areas

A group of young people prepare to jump off the sea wall in Broadstairs yesterday as temperatures remained high in Britain

A group of young people prepare to jump off the sea wall in Broadstairs yesterday as temperatures remained high in Britain

Sunseekers make the most of the Bank Holiday weather on Monday at Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall

Sunseekers make the most of the Bank Holiday weather on Monday at Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall

Met Office forecaster Nicola Maxey said ‘it’s going to feel quite cold’ as temperatures plunge.

‘We are looking at mid-teens, so we are looking at a 10C drop in some areas,’ she said.

She added that the wet weather is set to continue this week, with a risk of thunder, and 0.8in (20mm) of rain predicted to fall in Cumbria in three hours overnight.

Ms Maxey warned: ‘Some of the showers could be quite heavy with a bit of thunder as we go into Friday.’

Saturday is predicted to be fine and sunny with a risk of showers in the South East, while a weather system coming in from the West on Sunday is predicted to bring further outbreaks of rain.

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