There’s some good news for Brits tired of opening their umbrellas over the Bank Holiday weekend – there might be one more hurrah of warmth and sun.

August has been a month marked by grey skies, thunderstorms and buckets of rain.

And surprise, surprise forecasters from the Met Office and weather forecasting company say that the remainder of the long weekend won’t exactly be a ‘washout’, but not necessarily sunny either.

According to weather forecasting company, this late August Bank Holiday weekend will have a normal mix of weather across the UK, but it will not be a washout, unlike a number of our weekends during July and early August.

Today will be drier, with only the odd drizzle pushing eastward while clouds crawl through Scotland in the afternoon and evening.

Temperatures will be pushing between 20 to 22°C. Often cloudy on Monday, with further outbreaks of light rain and drizzle across eastern areas at first.

Elsewhere sunny spells soon developing with some isolated showers here and there, state meteorologists added.

However, according to weather maps from a weather forecasting company, September is shaping up to be a little different.

Between September 2 to September 6, Britain will be blasted with a toasty jet stream from the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe.

Temperatures are set to rise slightly above the monthly average of 17°C, with the mercury rising to 24°C in London, parts of East Anglia and the Midlands on September 2.

The following day, the heat will be cranked up to the same number in Leeds, Manchester and the wider north as well as in the south of England.

Wales and patches of Scotland will be a little cooler for those five days but still generally in the low 20s.

For those two days, the nation will be one degree hotter than it is slated to be in Barcelona, Spain, according to a weather forecasting company and WX charts.

As planet-warming gases continue to inflame climate change, these kinds of temperatures may be what most Brits will be running out to grab their pumpkin-spiced lattes in for the years to come, scientists say.

The Met Office says in its long-range forecast from next Thursday up to September 24 that the rain will remain for the coming week.

Temperatures are likely to be near normal. Through the weekend, high pressure may build allowing a more settled interlude to develop for parts of the country, the national weather service said of the week ahead.

Overall, the Met Office says it’s uncertain what kind of temperatures and weather Britain will see in September.

Temperatures are more likely to trend above the seasonal average, the Met Office added.

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The UK is set to experience another warm spell this week, with temperatures of up to 24C, before September brings more unsettled conditions as Britain feels the impacts of the Atlantic “hurricane season”.

The Met Office forecast for this week, however, shows a mixed weather outlook for Tuesday and fluctuating conditions across the UK.

While Monday marked a dry start to the week as temperatures reached highs of 22C, the rest of the week could see the mercury climbing higher.

While some areas in England and Wales will experience spells of sunshine and mild temperatures throughout the week, the north will see heavy showers and brisk winds, according to the Met Office’s outlook.

A band of rain is moving southeast across the UK on Tuesday, its forecast said, giving the UK a cloudy start of the day on Tuesday.

However, some bright spells are projected to emerge during the afternoon despite the damp start.

Scotland and Northern Ireland, which will see a bright start to the day, may continue to experience heavy, blustery showers as the day progresses.

But into the week, the weather is set to get warmer despite showery breaks with temperatures climbing up by 5C, reaching 24C in the south by the end of the week, weather charts showed.

Wednesday is poised to bring a blend of sunny intervals and showers across the UK.

Following that, humid air will spread across the southern half of the UK on Thursday and Friday, resulting in heavy showers across these regions, while other areas, including far north Scotland, are likely to experience relatively drier conditions.

As September begins, marking the end of the meteorological summer season, the UK may witness the rise of high pressure, potentially bringing drier conditions with sunny intervals for many places.

Temperatures are expected to hover around average levels by the weekend, potentially rising slightly higher, with a slight increase in sunnier spells compared to earlier days, the Met Office said.

But in the extended outlook, the Met Office forecast suggests a return to changeable weather patterns as autumn sets and the Atlantic hurricane season begins, with northern and western areas more susceptible to fluctuations.

Peak hurricane season typically falls around 10 September.

While the waters around the UK are not warm enough to sustain full-blown hurricanes, big weather systems developing in the Atlantic do have a downstream impact on Britain.

These can be unpredictable and only become apparent at shorter timescales, the Met Office warned.

Overall, temperatures are expected to remain around the average range in this period, the forecaster said.

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Florida residents are bracing for the impact of tropical storm Idalia, which is predicted to intensify into a major hurricane as it approaches the Gulf Coast. Preparations are in full swing as people load up on sandbags and evacuate low-lying areas.

The National Weather Service in Tampa Bay has urged residents to complete their storm preparations by Tuesday morning at the latest. Idalia has already caused heavy rain and disruptions in Cuba, particularly in the tobacco-producing province of Pinar del Rio.

The storm is forecasted to bring hurricane-force winds to Florida by late Tuesday, with its impact expected to escalate by Wednesday. This marks the first major storm of the hurricane season for Florida, further challenging the state, which is still recovering from the effects of last year’s Hurricane Ian. Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency in 46 counties and activated the National Guard to aid in rescue and recovery efforts.

Flights at Tampa International Airport and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport are set to close on Tuesday, and the Sunrail commuter rail service in Orlando will be suspended. The potential for Idalia to become a Category 3 hurricane has led to warnings of a “major impact” on the state. This storm adds to a summer of natural disasters worldwide, including wildfires, tropical storms, and flooding.

As Florida residents take precautions and make arrangements for the impending storm, authorities are closely monitoring Idalia’s progression and potential impact. The state’s proactive response and preparation highlight the importance of readiness in the face of natural disasters.

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As Labor Day weekend approaches and summer nears its end, Americans are preparing for travel, prompting a rise in gas prices.

AAA reports a 4% increase in domestic flight bookings compared to last year, while international bookings have surged by 44%. However, for those hitting the road, slightly higher gasoline costs await.

In recent weeks, the national average for regular gasoline has exceeded $3.80 per gallon, slightly higher than last year’s $3.78 per gallon. With experts predicting heightened travel, the period between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday is anticipated to be the busiest on the roads during the extended weekend.

Labor Day weekend traditionally marks a popular time for travel, as people seek a final vacation before summer ends. While air travel has rebounded, road trips remain a favored option, leading to increased demand for gasoline.

This, in turn, contributes to the upward trend in gas prices. Despite the minor increase in fuel costs, many Americans are expected to embark on trips, both domestically and internationally, embracing the opportunity for leisure and adventure as the holiday weekend approaches.

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Incessant rainfall continued to batter China as more downpours were predicted in the next two days, weather forecasters have warned. Over 3,000 people were evacuated in northwestern Hunan province.

Chinese weather forecasters on Monday warned several provinces to expect torrential rain and flash floods over the next two days as unrelenting downpours continued in the country.

More than 3,000 people were evacuated in northwestern Hunan province over the weekend as heavy rains lashed Sangzhi, Shimen and Yongshun counties, and Zhangjiajie City, according to state media.

Sangzhi recorded the heaviest rainfall this year, with maximum precipitation reaching 256 mm (10.07 inches) overnight from Saturday to Sunday, according to state broadcaster China Central Television.

It was the most extensive and widespread rain in Sangzhi since 1998, a state channel broadcasted.

China has been gripped by weeks of rains and floods amid an unusually wet summer.

In late July, storms from Typhoon Dokusri caused record rains to hit China in over a decade, with Beijing experiencing its heaviest rainfall in 140 years.

The Chinese government has called for more precautions against flooding as Typhoon Saola is now making its way across the South China Sea, with forecasts expecting it to land at Guangdong province as early as this Friday (September 1).

China’s State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management organised a video conference on August 26, warning that heavy rainfall in many parts of the country may cause geological disasters including mountain torrents and floods in some small and medium-sized rivers, state media reported.

A traffic police officer guides residents to cross a flooded road with a rope during heavy rainfall in Zhengzhou, Henan province, China.

There is also uncertainty over Typhoon Saola’s path, said the China Meteorological Administration, but it will bring heavy rainfall in the coastal areas including Fujian and Zhejiang provinces from Wednesday to Friday.

Fujian has launched an emergency response to Saola, ordering fishing boats in some waters to return to harbours in the vicinity and all personnel on board to evacuate ashore by Wednesday noon, local media reported on Monday.

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Spain’s state meteorological agency (Aemet) has predicted that this week, which marks the start of autumn weather, will be colder than normal for the time of year in most parts of the country.

Although temperatures will rise during the first few days, the forecast is for it to cool down again by the weekend.

In addition, Aemet also anticipates that it will be a rainy week in the extreme north of the mainland.

Rainfall will extend to other points in the north and east of the country and the Balearic Islands, and during the last days of the week it is possible that it will rain in many areas of the country.

Rainfall will be heavier in the eastern Cantabrian Sea area, with the possibility of persistent showers. In the rest of the northern third of the country, occasional scattered showers are not ruled out by Aemet.

In the Balearic Islands, cloudy intervals are expected, with scattered showers and thunderstorms, tending to diminish in the middle hours of the day and their return as the afternoon progresses, without ruling them out the Catalan coast.

Temperatures

Minimum temperatures will increase in the inland northwest and in the extreme southwest of the mainland, decreasing in the southeast corner, north of Catalonia and the Canary Islands.

There will be little change in the rest.

Maximum temperatures will decrease on the southeast, Alboran and Canary coasts, with little change in the Balearic Islands and the far north, and increase in the rest.

A maximum of only 32 to 34C may be reached in the Guadalquivir valley and minimum temperatures will generally not drop below 24 to 26 degrees – only in coastal areas of the southeast and the Balearic Islands.

Strong winds

Due to the presence of a storm in the western Mediterranean, gusts of wind may be strong or very strong in the Balearic Islands, Pyrenees and the area around the lower Ebro river areas.

There will also be some intervals of strong winds in the eastern Cantabrian Sea, variables in the Strait of Gibraltar and Alboran and trade winds with strong intervals and very strong gusts in the Canary Islands.

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Thousands of passengers are stranded due to cancelled flights caused by a technical fault in the United Kingdom air traffic control system.

The disruption, which began on Monday during a bank holiday, forced controllers to manually input flight plans due to the system failure.

Around 8% of expected departures and 9% of arrivals were cancelled by Monday afternoon, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.

The National Air Traffic Services (NATS), responsible for air traffic control, confirmed that the technical issue had been resolved and they were collaborating with airlines and airports to assist affected flights. The automatic system that supplies controllers with aircraft details and routes had malfunctioned.

 While the situation has been resolved, returning to normal operations will take time, NATS stated. The cause of the technical issue is not suspected to be a cyber attack.

The passengers across the United Kingdom and abroad expressed frustration at the uncertainty regarding their travel plans, with major airlines warning of substantial delays.

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Israel is aiming to greet seven million travellers by 2030.

The Minister of Tourism in Israel offered the country’s government with a strategy to witness seven million tourists by 2030. 

The objective will need the building of 12,000 extra hotel rooms to touch a total of 70,000. 3,941 rooms
need to be added to the stock of hotels by 2024. 

The Ministry of Tourism aims to quicken the speed of hotel building by reducing planning processes and the analysis of the building strategies of Tel Aviv.

These steps will increase those taken in 2022 to expand and surge supply, which comprise regulating the loftiness perimeter for hotel creation in Eilat so as to add hundreds of rooms in the resort city, in addition to building devoted camping and ‘glamping’ centers.

A minister from the tourism ministry specified that Israel aims to surge the amount of visitors by nurturing Asian tourism.

The minister also said that Indian tourists can apply for visas online beginning at the conclusion of this year. This move is expected to substantially upsurge influxes from the world’s most populated country.

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Britannia cruise liner floated away like a paper boat when it came loose. A boardwalk collapsed and sank as well.

During a severe summer storm off the coast of Mallorca, Spain, a P&O cruise liner collided with a cargo ship. More than 1000 passengers were onboard the cruise ship.

According to P&O, a few people on board have been injured, and medical staff are tending to them. The ship will remain in Palma de Mallorca so that its technical condition may be evaluated.

There is “no structural compromise,” as the skipper had already assured passengers.

Images and videos captured by passengers on board the vessel show the emergency response crews working to clean up the wreckage and the ship at sea.

A spokesperson stated, “The local fire service and crew were carrying out an emergency drill” when the “unexpected drama” occurred.

A violent rain and wind storm pushed us away from our dockside, he added, at around 11:00 a.m., destroying tethering lines, and water hoses, and forcing the walkway to tumble into the sea.

Another passenger, described the situation on board as “madness” because the sunbeds “were starting to flip. He was unable to see anything beyond the ship’s windows due to the torrential downpour.

It sailed away like a paper boat, he said of the ship after it had broken free of its moorings. No more assistance was possible from the personnel.

The captain kept passengers and crew informed every 10–15 minutes, calming down the situation.

Extreme weather has reached the islands, bringing heavy downpours and winds of up to 120 km/h (75 mph). Palma de Mallorca Airport had to cancel more than 20 flights.

Extreme weather warnings have been extended until Monday for the islands in the Mediterranean. There was no structural damage, except for a small one on deck 5.

A P&O Cruises spokeswoman said that they are aware of an incident involving Britannia on Sunday morning and are working to assess the situation.

There was “no problem on the ship other than a few scrapes and bumps to one or more lifeboats.

Tourists on land excursions will be able to get back on the ship again.

While technical specialists evaluate the ship, P&O promises passengers a full slate of onboard activities and entertainment.

The ship left for Southampton and should be arriving there on September 1.

The Queen Mary 2 had a similar issue on August 4 owing to heavy weather, when it broke free from her bow mooring line and drifted off the pier at Southampton.

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US tourism businesses have increased after the pandemic, and now, Americans are giving out to the world as the number of people travelling overseas has surged this summer.

According to a survey, several companies and tourism operators have confirmed that tourism rates have dropped this summer as the world opened after the COVID-19 pandemic that had Americans’ travelling plans to pause for almost two years.

Companies and tour operators have confirmed that the interest has dropped but hasn’t dimmed down completely.

CEO of a rental marketplace, has revealed that the growth has slowed down significantly compared to the pandemic interest to book RVs.

A very common comment that American travellers this year is that they are going international this year.

Tour operators, who were constantly fully booked during the last two years, are now considerably more available.

According to US National Travel and Tourism Office, 36 million Americans travelled abroad between January and May – 35 per cent more than in the previous year.

On the other hand, airlines have witnessed an increased interest in international travel.

Robin Hayes, CEO and Director of JetBlue Airways said that they have seen a greater-than-expected geographic shift in pent-up COVID demand as the strength in demand for long international travel this summer has pressured demand for shorter-haul travel.

However, this situation isn’t necessarily negative as many places and tourist attractions that were seeing heightened interest during the pandemic were struggling to manage the number of visitors, especially to outdoor activities like camping.

In some cases, communities put the brakes on destination marketing or voted to redirect bed tax dollars to local needs like affordable housing to lower the havoc tourists create.

The solar eclipse is upcoming on April 8, 2024, and it can attract more interest, as in 2017, it attracted considerably a higher number of interest.

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