Leeds Met Office weather forecast: Sunshine and rain this week as early May Bank Holiday approaches

After a warm spell with lots of sunshine, the forecast ahead looks far less stable as the early May Bank Holiday approaches.

Those heading to a pub garden or dining al fresco should bring layers and their brollies, with rain showers forecast throughout the week.

Monday will be dry and bright, with temperatures at a mild 14C.

It will get colder later into the week, with heavy rain on Tuesday evening and temperatures around 10C.

It comes after one of the driest Aprils on record with the UK seeing less than a fifth of the average rainfall for the month so far.

There has been an average of 12.8mm of rain across the UK up to April 22, much lower than the April average of 72.53mm, according to Met Office figures.

A typical April in the UK would have had 70 per cent of its rainfall by now, but it instead has just had 18 per cent.

The driest April on record across the UK was in 1938 when 14.1mm of rain was recorded, followed by April 1974 when 14.6mm of rain fell.

Met Office forecaster Martin Bowles said the bank holiday weekend will see more “normal” temperatures for this time of year, around 12C in the north.

Those temperatures are the average daily maximum expected for late April, he added.

Here's the Met Office forecast for Leeds and Yorkshire in full:

Monday:

"A dry and bright start to the day on Monday, with a slight ground frost.

"Cloudier conditions spreading southward through the day, with some spots of rain possible in the north by the evening.

"Maximum temperature 13C."

Monday night:

"Cloud continuing to spread south across the region through the evening, with some patchy rain possible, this maybe heavier over Pennine hills through the early hours.

"Chilly by dawn. Minimum temperature 3C."

Tuesday:

"Generally cloudy on Tuesday, with scattered showers developing across much of the region.

"These mainly light, but perhaps heavier in places by the afternoon.

"Feeling cooler. Maximum temperature 11C."

Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:

"Sunshine and showers during the remainder of the week.

"Some isolated heavier showers possible in Wednesday and Thursday, these then maybe more widespread on Friday."

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