Runners and supporters alike joining the London Marathon tomorrow should not skimp on suncream as the race day will be bright.
After Londoners endured sunny but brisk few days during the Tube strikes this week, the weather is finally turning milder – just in time for the 2026 edition of the London Marathon.
Thousands of people are arriving in the capital to run the 26.2-mile route through some of London’s most iconic sights before finishing at The Mall near Buckingham Palace.
It looks like the athletes and crowds have the weather on their side as the Met Office predicts ideal conditions for running.
Let’s take a look at what the weather has in store in London.
What is the weather forecast for the London Marathon?
Tomorrow, mostly sunshine is expected from the morning ahead of the men’s and women’s elite wheelchair races, the first wave to start at around 8.50am.
Temperatures will reach around 13°C when the non-elite runners set off from Greenwich Park from 9.30am onwards.
The Met Office forecasts highs of up to 19°C, with some cloud appearing from late afternoon.
With the UV at moderate level tomorrow, people should take care during midday hours and use sunscreen, the Met Office advised.
But then there is the wind, which can really make or break a challenging feat like the marathon.
Luckily for the runners, mild wind is forecast to blow east to west, which is the direction of the majority of the course.
But unfortunately for hayfever sufferers, oak pollen levels are expected to be high on Sunday.
How is the rest of the week looking?
Next week will continue largely warm and sunny, with no rain currently in the pipeline in London.
Showers are expected in the north and east on Monday, with some of them possibly turning heavy, the Met Office said.
The forecaster said: ‘Mostly fine on Tuesday and Wednesday, though a strengthening easterly wind in the south.’
The warm weekend weather will be welcomed by people across the country, but it has put a damper on a unique competition in Northamptonshire.
This year’s ‘World Puddle Jumping Championships’ is under threat due to the upcoming UK mini heatwave, because there won’t be any puddles to jump in.
Organisers are concerned that no rain could stop play at the quirky annual event in Northamptonshire ahead of a mini heatwave this month.
The forecast has prompted theme park bosses to change the rules for the first time in 13 years, allowing competitors to jump into paddling pools instead.
Each year, hundreds of children from across the world enter the bizarre competition, which has previously received backing from Jacob Rees-Mogg in the House of Commons.
But with a lack of muddy puddles this year, organisers have had to think outside the box in order to allow the bizarre competition to continue.
Competitors are being urged to submit video entries this week, and the winner of the World Puddle Jumping Championships will be announced at the end of next week.
The event has attracted thousands of entries over the years, with previous winners including a nine-year-old girl from Kettering, Northamptonshire, and a three-year-old boy from Monmouthshire in Wales, with entries coming from as far away as Australia.
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