People planning on celebrating the King’s coronation this weekend may have to keep their eyes on their skies, if the latest Met Office forecast is anything to go by.
Forecasters said their prediction for the coronation was “becoming clearer” as the date approaches and May 6 itself is expected to be showery with some sunny spells.
The Met Office’s deputy chief forecaster said showers will develop from late morning, though there will also be some sunny spells throughout the day.
UK weather – latest Sky News forecast
Steven Keates said London itself could avoid the showers in the morning but will likely see some develop throughout the afternoon.
Highs of 20C are possible in the capital city, with temperatures in the mid to high teens possible elsewhere, he added.
Sunday will see areas of rain breaking up into heavy, possibly thundery showers for many parts of England and Wales, while Monday is more uncertain at this stage.
The bank holiday looks to remain unsettled before higher pressure starts to become more dominant by the middle of the week and brings a more settled spell.
The coronation forecast
Mr Keates said: “On Saturday we will see showers developing from late morning in some central, eastern and northern areas, but also with some sunny spells through the day.
“At this stage it looks like London could avoid the showers in the morning before some develop through the afternoon.
“Heavier rain is expected to move into the southwest of the UK and heavy showers are likely for parts of Northern Ireland. Winds will remain light away from the far north where gusty winds will begin to ease.
“Highs of 20C are possible in London in any sunshine, with mid to high teens possible elsewhere.”
Read more:
The ultimate guide to the King’s coronation
Coronation route and royal coaches in detail
What are the rules for hosting a street party?
Sky News has analysed the weather on the first weekend of May for the last 10 years to predict whether the coronation will be a sunny day of celebrations or a washout.
There were hopeful patterns in the data – suggesting dry weather is likely, but temperatures can be very unpredictable in May.
There will be more accurate weather predictions the closer we get to the big day.
You can check the five-day forecast where you are by putting your postcode into our weather checker here.
What events will take place during the coronation weekend?
• Saturday 6 May – Coronation Day
• 6-8 May – The Big Lunch across the country and the Commonwealth
• Sunday 7 May – The Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle
• Monday 8 May – Bank Holiday across the nation and The Big Help Out, which encourages people to try volunteering in their local area.
Want to tune into the big event?
Sky News will kick off its coronation day coverage at 6am on Saturday 6 May.
This is free to watch via Freeview channel 233, Sky channel 501, Virgin 603 and BT 313.
Viewers can also stream for free on the Sky News website or app and on the Sky News YouTube channel.
