Glastonbury 2022 weather: what is BBC and Met Office festival forecast today, as UK braces for thunderstorms

Glastonbury festival fans are bracing themselves after the Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms.

The festival, which is finally kicking off at Worthy Farm after two years of cancellations due to Covid-19 will feature headliners including Sir Paul McCartney, Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish and plenty of other acts.

The first days of the festival saw sunny skies and high temperatures, but predictions of “heavy rain” and thunderstorms may make this year’s event a washout.

Glastonbury can get notoriously muddy when it rains and festival goers have been warned they “may need to take shelter.”

Here’s everything you need to know.

When is Glastonbury?

Glastonbury Festival kicked off at Worthy Farm on Wednesday 22 June, ending on Sunday 26 June.

More than 200,000 festival fans are expected to attend, with people set to arrive from 22 June.

The festival performances and shows begin on 24 June.

What is the weather forecast for Glastonbury?

Glastonbury is known to be notoriously muddy when it rains, so will you need to pack your welly boots?

The beginning of the festival was met with sunshine and warm temperatures, however from Friday onward there is predictions of heavy rain, along with a yellow warning from the Met Office for thunderstorms.

There is a risk that festival goers will be caught in torrential rain and they have been advised to “take shelter.”

Meteorologist Sarah Kent, from the Met Office, explained that predicting thundery showers is“hit and miss.”

She said: “We know they are going to occur, but whether they happen exactly in one particular point is extremely hard to get right even this far ahead so it’s a risk.

“If you did get a downpour tomorrow it is likely to be heavy and from blustery winds potentially tied in and the threat of some lightning as well – so it’s just to keep that in the festival-goers’ attention.

“They may need to take shelter if they can if one of those thunderstorms do come through in the afternoon.”

Here is the Met Office weather forecast for Glastonbury Festival

Friday 24 June: a cloudy and mild start to Friday, with some rain mainly across the moors. Brighter for a time around lunchtime but more persistent rain will move eastwards through the afternoon. Maximum temperature of 20 °C and lows of 10°C.

Saturday 25 June: a breezy day with sunny spells and some heavy, possibly thundery showers. Feeling relatively cool. Maximum temperature 19 °C and lows of 12°C.

Sunday 26 June: a mixed picture throughout Sunday and the start of next week with sunshine and a continued risk of showers. Maximum temperature 17 °C and lows of 12°C.

Will the train strikes impact Glastonbury?

The train strikes, which have been taking place this week, have not impacted people getting to the festival.

There were fears that the reduced rail service would hit festival goers travelling to Somerset.

National Rail have told passengers to travel only if necessary as four out of five rail journeys is suspended during strike days.

The last day of the strike is Saturday 25 June, so it will not impact those leaving Glastonbury after the festival has ended.