Wimbledon weather: Day one of 2024 championship could see rain interrupt play

Wimbledon visitors might have to endure a wet first day on Monday as a “band of rain” moves over London to end days of hot weather in the capital.

Play at the All England Club begins on July 1 with fans hoping to avoid rain which could delay matches on the outside courts where there is not a roof.

Forty-two thousand spectators are expected to attend The Championships on day one, with play getting under way at 11am.

Ellie Glaisyer of the Met Office said: “We have seen a band of rain sinking its way southwards [on Sunday] although that eventually clears for sunny spells.”

“It will be pleasant although temperatures will be perhaps a touch lower than what we saw [on Saturday],” she said - adding there will be highs of around 23C in London.

For Monday, she said: “We could see single figures through the night although it will generally be holding up in towns and cities.

“Rain becomes particularly heavy over western parts of Scotland overnight… that area of rain will continue to push its way east through Monday morning.”

This will see the cloudy and rainy weather fall over much of the south east, including London, into the afternoon - which is bad news for tennis fans.

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz opens the Centre Court with his match against world No.262 Mark Lajal from 1.30pm.

Emma Raducanu, here on a wildcard, will follow that match on Centre Court before women’s number two seed Coco Gauff opens her account.

The Met Office has predicted the peak of the rain to hit London at around 3pm and 4pm - when there is a 60 per cent chance of a shower.

There will be peak temperatures of around 22C.

Tennis fans heading to Wimbledon later in the first week can enjoy warmer and drier conditions, according to the early forecast.