Mourners in huge queues to pay their respects to the Queen will have to endure chilly nights by the Thames with temperatures set to plunge this weekend.
Temperatures in central London will fall to 7C on Saturday though the Met Office said it looks like the rain might hold off for those lining up their way to Westminster Hall.
Members of the public still have until 6.30am on Monday – the day of the state funeral – to see the Queen’s coffin as she lies in state.
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”.
If you are planning to attend Her Majesty The Queen's Lying-in-State in Westminster please make sure you are prepared. Expect long queues outside and cooler nights.
— Met Office (@metoffice) September 14, 2022
Read the guidance: https://t.co/u34Gjw6mmW
Weather forecasts at: https://t.co/F9hTjLBQF5 pic.twitter.com/xDjQzs6xf3
Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge 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 7C 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.”
We are now sharing updates on the queue length to attend Her Majesty The Queen’s Lying-in-State
— Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (@DCMS) September 14, 2022
Follow DCMS on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook (/dcmsgovuk) for latest information, including where to joinhttps://t.co/MzGcxzsSEg pic.twitter.com/jMBk86DHlP
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.
