Here comes the sun (for two days)

Mention bank holiday weather and memories of miserable days out beneath leaden skies come flooding back.

And while there is a welcome change on the way this weekend with unseasonably high temperatures for many of us on Friday and Saturday, the hot spell is not expected to last.

True to form, the weather will take a turn for the worse in the second half of the weekend as things turn breezy and overcast on Sunday. Some northern parts will even see rain and thunder.

Forecasters say the best of the weather will arrive tomorrow, with temperatures of up to 28c (82f) across southern England.

Conditions will remain good into Saturday, particularly in the South-East. But by Sunday, temperatures will have fallen across the country, with many areas only reaching 20c (68f).

Monday will be even cooler, with the worst affected areas in the north of England and Scotland seeing persistent rain.

Even as far south as Welshpool in Mid-Wales, temperatures are expected to fall as low as 11c (52f).

As predictable as it is, the news of the poor weather will still come as a disappointment for those anxiously awaiting the arrival of the summer after forecasters promised soaring temperatures of 38c (101f) in July and August.

Andrew Sibley, a forecaster at the Met Office, said yesterday: 'It isn't going to be completely bad but things will go downhill over the course of the weekend, even for the south-east corner of England. I think the trouble is that people take more notice of the weather on bank holidays and so are disappointed when it is bad.

'During the week, we don't really pay much attention but we are naturally looking for good weather on our days off.

'There is no statistical reason for the weather being miserable on bank holidays.'

Andrew Bond, of independent forecasters Metcheck, said: 'We will see nice weather in the south on Friday and into Saturday. Those days really look like barbecue weather.

'It will be fantastic but unfortunately the same won't apply to those in the north, who will have to put up with a blanket of cloud and possibly rain on Saturday.

'Sunday and Monday don't look anywhere near as good for anyone, although on the positive side the south will be largely dry.'

Mr Bond said the region which would enjoy the best temperatures was the South-East, particularly London and the areas around Cambridge and Oxford.

But Kent will also see some of the worst weather in the second part of the weekend, with temperatures falling to 18c (64f) and the possibility of rainy spells.

Northern and western parts of Britain could hear some rumbles of thunder by the end of the weekend. Temperatures will fall as low as 17c (63f) in the north and 11c (52f) in the west and Wales.