As the weekend steadily approaches the North East prepares itself for one of the biggest gatherings and celebrations in the region – the Durham Miners’ Gala.
Crowds of around 200,000 people will be welcomed into Durham city centre once again for the trade union-backed event on Saturday, July 9.
Organised by the Durham Miners’ Association (DMA), the Big Meeting is one of the largest of its kind in Europe and sees brass bands and banners parade through the historic city centre.
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Carers, bus drivers, delivery workers, nurses, shop staff and teachers who risked their lives to keep society functioning throughout the pandemic will be celebrated, the DMA has said.
Alan Mardghum, DMA Secretary, said: “We know it has been sorely missed. For many, it truly is the highlight of the year.”
However, will the event be enjoyed in glorious sunshine on a lovely warm day, or will it be dampened by rain and cloudy weather?
What will the weather be like on Saturday, July 9?
Looking ahead to the weekend, the Met Office has predicted that Saturday will be punctuated with “variable cloud” and perhaps the “odd shower.”
Temperatures in Durham on Saturday are expected to reach highs of 19c, however, meaning it should still be a warm day.
Rain remains unlikely at this time as well, with just a 10% chance of precipitation at 1pm and less than 5% for the rest of the day.
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Wind gusts will reach 24mph at 4pm meaning although temps will reach 19c at 4pm, it will feel like 18c.
Sunday looks a bit friendlier with temperatures at 4pm reaching highs of 21c and less than 5% precipitation for the rest of the day.
Wind speeds will continue to remain high with 21mph gusts predicted at 4pm, bringing the feels-like temperature down to 20c.
WXCharts has also predicted highs of 22.1c by 3pm on Saturday and possibly much warmer highs of 25.5c at 3pm on Sunday.
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