The general election campaign began with a wet prime minister standing outside No. 10 Downing Street, rain soaking his suit.
However, polling day on Thursday is expected to be mostly dry across the UK, with occasional showers in northern England and heavier rain in Scotland.
Scotland might experience strong winds, with gusts reaching 40mph inland and 50mph on the coast. Despite these conditions, records suggest that voter turnout is not significantly impacted by weather.
For instance, in 2019, despite being the wettest general election since records began in 1931, turnout was higher at 67.3% compared to 2001 (59.4%) and 2005 (61.4%), when polling took place in June and May.
Polling Day is expected to dry with showers in the north; Scotland faces strong inland winds.Paul Gundersen, the Met Office’s chief meteorologist, noted that Scotland will bear the brunt of the strong winds, with gusts of 30-40mph inland and up to 50mph on the coast. Blustery showers are expected in the west and northwest of Scotland, potentially turning into longer periods of rain later.
Northern Ireland, Wales, and northern England might see a few showers, while southern England should remain dry with sunny intervals. Temperatures will be cooler in the northwest but near average in the south and southwest. Rain is likely to continue in parts of Scotland and possibly Northern Ireland overnight.
On polling day, Cardiff is expected to have temperatures around 18°C with sunny spells, Liverpool will see highs of 17°C with sunshine and showers, and Edinburgh and Manchester will also have sunny intervals with temperatures near 18°C.
The weather will be much cooler than the election in June 1970, when temperatures in England, Wales, and Scotland soared above 26°C during the Conservative victory under Edward Heath.