After more than two inches of rain in some areas, forecasters say Monday will be one of the most pleasant days of the year
The August bank holiday has been a washout for some southern and eastern areas hit by flooding, but forecasters have predicted a return to sunshine and blue skies as the country enjoys one of the most pleasant days of the year.
Heavy downpours led to flash flooding in some southern and eastern areas on Saturday, with Suffolk, Kent, Essex and London seeing up to 0.4ins more rain fall overnight. In Wales and the West Country, meantime, holidaymakers enjoyed sunshine and clear skies.
According to Tim Thorne, a forecaster at the Met Office, the whole country can now look forward to better weather. "It's been a mixed picture in recent days with heavy downpours in Essex and the south-east, while the west has been lovely," he said. "But we have an improving picture over the bank holiday.
"Believe it or not, on bank holiday Monday we could see one of the most pleasant days of the year for the whole country.
"It may start off cloudy in some areas of Scotland or Northern Ireland, but by the afternoon any cloud will have largely cleared and it should be an excellent afternoon and evening with above average temperatures. It's going to be a nice day to be out and about whether you've having a barbecue or heading to the beach."
Only the Outer Hebrides were threatened with a little rain, he added.
High pressure will remain over much of the country for the next week, with reasonably warm temperatures of between 21 and 25C, he said.
Some parts of Essex saw more than two inches of rain on Saturday, which caused flooding and major disruption in the south of the county. The emergency services answered more than 400 calls for help.
A family had to be rescued from their four-wheel-drive car after it became trapped in floodwaters under a railway bridge. Scott Swinford, 30, of Southend, was driving with his three children when the car was caught in rising waters on Spa Road in Hockley. "As I put the car into reverse the current of the floodwater just lifted us further in," he told the BBC.
The group was rescued by onlookers Hannah King and Emma Burles, and three boys watching the floods. King, 22, said: "The water just swept the car along. We saw there was young children in the back and then a little girl stuck her head out of the window. That was it, we just swam in as we knew the car was going to sink."
The rescuers passed the children from the car to the three boys who also waded into the floodwater to help. Swinford was then helped out of the vehicle.
He said: "My 4x4 is like a monster truck, stands about 7ft high and is fitted with a snorkel exhaust. We'd already driven through some flooding, but as I went into this I thought 'it's deep' so put the car into reverse. I thought the motion of the wheels would drag us out, but we just started sinking. The water was coming in through the floor, air vents and windows."
The BBC Weather Centre reported that 2.3ins (59mm) of rain had fallen across the south of Essex on Saturday, some of the highest rainfall in the country. Revellers at the Reading and Leeds festivals were also soaked over the weekend.
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