Mourners queuing to pay their respects to the Queen are set to face chilly nights and a fresh feel to the days, but it looks like the rain might hold off.
Members of the public have until 6.30am on Monday – the day of the state funeral – to see the Queen’s coffin as she lies in state at Westminster Hall, central London.
Viewing will be open 24 hours a day until then.
The Met Office has urged everyone to “please make sure you are prepared” and “expect long queues outside and cooler nights”.
Thursday will be “a mostly dry” day that is rather cloudy at times but still with some bright or sunny spells, according to Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge.
He said: “The main thing is people can be staying dry, with some light northerly winds, but that will mean it will start to feel a little bit fresher as the day moves on.”
Thursday should see top temperatures of 20C to 21C which is “pretty pleasant and nothing too hot or too cold for those who are standing around for a few hours, but the main thing is that they will be dry”.
A “fresher feel” will be more noticeable by night-time but it will “start to feel a bit chillier” overnight into Friday as temperatures drop to around 9C to 10C.
Mr Partridge said: “If you are standing around for a few hours then you will definitely need to wrap up a bit warm.”
Similar conditions are expected for the next few days and “no significant” rain is forecast for London.
Mr Partridge added: “It will not be wall-to-wall sunshine. There will be sunny spells through the days and clear spells overnight, but gradually it will get a little bit cooler each day.”
With well-wishers set to wait for hours in lines stretching along the banks of the River Thames, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has set up an online tracker to help them see how long the queue is.
Network Rail has said services and stations are likely to be “extremely busy” during the official mourning period.
Short-notice changes may be necessary and people should check live travel information before and during journeys.
Those wishing to attend the Queen’s lying in state are advised to visit the Government’s website for advice on where to go, the length of the wait and what they can carry before they travel.
There is lengthy guidance about what can be carried into the hall, toilet facilities and the risk of having to wait through the night.
