Spring Bank Holiday weather records in the UK

Ahead of the Spring Bank Holiday, check out these weather records logged for the late-May bank holiday. 

The final bank holiday in May was traditionally called the Whitsun Bank Holiday and observed on the Monday following Pentecost. Over the years, it has seen a wide range of weather extremes across the UK. In this article, we look back at the UK’s weather records ever logged on this late-May bank holiday. 

Originally tied to the Christian festival of Whitsun, the holiday was officially moved to the last Monday in May by the Banking and Financial Dealings Act of 1971, following a trial period from 1965 to 1970. This shift explains why some of the most notable weather records fall in early June rather than May.

Temperature Extremes

The hottest Whitsun Bank Holiday Monday on record since 1900 occurred on 29 May 1944, when stations recorded temperatures soaring to a sweltering 32.8°C in multiple locations including Horsham, Tunbridge Wells, Camden Square, and Regent’s Park. In stark contrast, the lowest maximum temperature was just 5.7°C, recorded at Dalwhinnie, Inverness-shire, on 6 June 1960. Dalwhinnie also holds the record for the lowest minimum temperature during the holiday, with a bone-chilling -4.1°C on 30 May 1983.

Alternatively, the highest minimum temperature, was 18.3°C, recorded twice: once at Dunbar in East Lothian on 6 May 1933, and again at Eastwick Lodge in Essex on 6 June 1960. 

READ MORE: How close are we to breaking spring records?

Rain, Wind, and Snow

Rainfall has also made its mark on the Whitsun holiday. Kesgrave in Suffolk saw the wettest day on record, with 68.2mm of rain. Wind gusts have reached extreme levels too, with the highest recorded gust being 74 mph at Mumbles in West Glamorgan on 26 May 2008.

Though snow is rare during this time of year, it has made some appearances. Notably, snow was recorded in Clashnoir and Strathdearn, both in Inverness-shire, on 6 June 1977 and again on 29 May 2006, an unusual sight for a late spring bank holiday.

READ MORE: Waters surrounding UK gripped by prolonged marine heatwave

Sunshine Records

For those seeking sunshine, the area recorded to be the sunniest on the Whitsun Bank Holiday was Prabost, Skye, in Inverness-shire after it recorded 16.6 hours of sunshine, an impressive feat for any day in the UK, let alone a bank holiday!

If you're interested in reading more about record-breaking weather, why not check out our blog posts on consecutive sunshine records being broken in March and April? You can also find out more about how close we are to breaking spring records, too. 

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