UK weather: Fog blankets south of England ahead of Bank Holiday heatwave, as motorists told to travel after 9pm

The sun rises in Lancashire - www.alamy.com
The sun rises in Lancashire - www.alamy.com

Much of the UK woke up to early-morning fog ahead of the Bank Holiday heatwave as motorists were told to wait until after 9pm to set off on their long weekend breaks.

Divers were warned to be careful while driving in the morning with the thick blanket covering much of the nation - especially in the south of England.

But as the day gets warmer, the fog is expected to be burnt away to make way for maximum temperatures of 28C later on Friday.

The good weather coupled with the public holiday on Monday means an estimated five million drivers will look to dash off with families and friends for mini-breaks up and down the country.

Friday is expected to see five million drivers embarking on journeys for a holiday or day-trip ahead of the bank holiday weekend.

The roads are expected to be busiest after 11am, however, when the fog should have gone, but the RAC has advised motorists to delay their departure until after 9pm to avoid clogging up the roads.

The Bank Holiday heatwave

The temperature ranged from 11C (52F) to 15C (59F) at 5.30am and is expected to rise to a maximum of 28C (82F) later on Friday.

"People up early will notice the fog and will need to be careful while driving," Met Office forecaster Greg Dewhurst said.

He added that as the temperature rises "the fog will become very patchy and should not really affect traffic".

From Friday afternoon, south-easterly winds will draw warm air from Europe towards the UK, bringing rising temperatures along with dry and settled weather.

Temperatures will rise to 26C (78.8F) in London and 24C (75.2F) in Cardiff and the rest of the UK will be largely dry with lots of sunshine, according to the Met Office.

In Scotland, however, there will be a series of showers with the north-west being the most affected area.

By Monday, temperatures may reach 33C (91.4F) in southern England - which would set a new record for the late bank holiday weekend.

The highest record temperature for the late August bank holiday weekend is 31.5C (88.7F) at Heathrow Airport in 2001.

The sunny spell could set a swathe of new records around the country, with the current hottest late summer bank holiday in Wales standing at 27.3C (81.1F) at Velindre, Powys, in 2013.

The Northern Ireland record is 27C (80.6F) recorded in Knockaraven, Co Fermanagh in 2003.

Monday is not a bank holiday in Scotland.

Don't leave before 9pm, drivers told

Motorists are being urged to delay bank holiday getaways until after 9pm on Friday to avoid severe queues on popular tourist routes.

There will also be severe disruption on parts of the railway network this weekend as Network Rail carries out hundreds of engineering projects.

Tourism bosses are anticipating the number of Britons making the most of the August bank holiday by taking a domestic short break or holiday will be the highest on record.

Research by the RAC and traffic information supplier Inrix suggests 16.5 million leisure journeys will take place on UK roads between Friday and Monday.

Friday is expected to be the worst day for jams as five million drivers embarking on journeys for a holiday or day trip battle for road space with commuters.

Roads are likely to be busiest between 11am and 6.30pm.

The longest delays are predicted to be on the M25 anti-clockwise from Junction 4 at Orpington/Bromley to Junction 1 at Swanscombe/Dartford at around 3.15pm, with journeys taking 55 minutes longer than normal.

A northbound stretch of the M6 from Junction 18 at Northwich/Chester to Junction 24 at St Helens is estimated to have 54-minute hold-ups at around 2pm.

Routes to coastal resorts and countryside beauty spots are also likely to be among the busiest.

The best time to be on the road will be after 9pm, but that will be too late for millions of people travelling long distances.

RAC patrol of the year Ben Aldous said: "For many people, this coming weekend is the last chance to enjoy a long weekend this side of Christmas.

"With the weather improving, that's likely to mean a lot of cars on the road heading to popular tourist destinations.

"A lot of the breakdowns we expect to see this weekend are preventable, so it's vital drivers check over their car before setting out."

Trevor Reed, transportation analyst at Inrix, said: "Bank holidays have historically been one of the busiest times for road trips, and this year drivers could even see record-level travel delays.

"Knowing when and where congestion will build can help drivers avoid the stress of sitting in traffic."

Highways England said it is keeping 97% of England's motorways and major A-roads free from roadworks this weekend.

Rail passengers are being urged to avoid the East Coast Main Line this weekend, with train operator London North Eastern Railway (LNER) issuing a "do not travel" warning for the route between London and Scotland via York on Saturday and Sunday.

This is due to King's Cross being closed as part of a major project which will prevent any trains from running between London and Peterborough.

Track replacement work near Macclesfield and Milton Keynes will reduce the number of trains departing and arriving at London Euston via the West Coast Main Line.

Major upgrade work is taking place in Newark, Nottinghamshire, affecting East Midlands Railway's Lincoln services to and from Leicester and Nottingham.

Network Rail is carrying out 448 engineering projects over the weekend.

The Government-owned company said it carries out significant projects over bank holidays as "far fewer people" use the railway at those times compared with a normal working day.

A survey by tourism agency VisitEngland indicated that 8.6 million Britons are planning an overnight trip in the UK this weekend.

This is up from 7.3 million for the August bank holiday in 2018 and is the most since the research began in 2012.

Among the popular events on this weekend are Notting Hill Carnival in west London; Edinburgh Fringe festival; Reading and Leeds Festivals; Manchester Pride and Creamfields, near Warrington in Cheshire.

VisitEngland director Patricia Yates said: "We are hearing from many destinations and tourism businesses that they are experiencing a strong summer with late bookings also on the rise this year.

"The certainty of budgeting for a holiday at home, the ease and convenience and the quality on offer are all contributing to people choosing to take more domestic trips, spreading the benefits of tourism across the UK."

The big foreign holiday getaway

More than two million Britons will take a foreign holiday over the August bank holiday weekend, according to a travel trade organisation.

Abta said the Belearics, mainland Spain, Greece and Italy are among the most popular destinations for people taking advantage of the last long weekend before December.

New York, Toronto and Dubai are among the most common locations for those embarking on long-haul trips.

The holiday market is "very competitive" with good value deals available for anyone booking last-minute breaks, according to Abta.

City destinations are also proving popular, with strong bookings for Barcelona, Dublin, Rome, Frankfurt and Amsterdam.

Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer said: "With a wet and windy start to the month it's perhaps little surprise that many holidaymakers have booked trips abroad to round off the end of the summer and school holidays with some drier and warmer weather.

"The Mediterranean is currently experiencing some pleasant temperatures for people wishing to travel overseas, while those staying in the UK will be able to enjoy more settled conditions, with trips to the coast and countryside a popular choice.

"As with all bank holiday weekends, the roads and rail networks are likely to be particularly busy so if you are planning to travel, make sure you leave extra time to get to your place of departure and check your route in advance for engineering works if using public transport.

"If you are still looking to book a last minute break or are planning a trip further ahead, there are good value holidays out there, particularly during the October half term."