Sunday 28 June starts differently from the hottest part of the past few days. The Met Office London and South East forecast says it will be cloudy at first with showers clearing eastwards during the morning, then sunny spells will develop later, with more seasonable temperatures and a maximum of 27C. The wider UK forecast says patchy rain in the west will move east while eastern England still feels warm and humid, but elsewhere the day turns fresher with a gentle breeze. For drivers, that makes this morning a useful reset point before weekend miles begin.
After hot weather and overnight rain, the small checks matter again
When very hot weather breaks into cloud, showers and brighter spells, the ordinary little problems in a car often become more obvious. Windscreens pick up dried marks from earlier heat and dust. Damp roads throw up fresh spray. Cabin clutter that was easy to ignore in short local trips suddenly feels more distracting when you are joining Sunday traffic or heading out for a family visit. None of this is dramatic, but it does affect comfort and concentration. Doing the boring checks now is usually easier than dealing with them once the trip is underway.
Use the GOV.UK roadworthy check as the baseline
GOV.UK says you are responsible for making sure your vehicle is always safe to drive, even if it has a current MOT certificate. It says that every time you drive you should check the windscreen, windows and mirrors are clean, all lights work and the brakes work. It also points drivers back to the handbook for routine checks such as washer fluid and tyre condition. That advice is especially practical this morning because changing light and leftover road spray make clear glass, screenwash and tyres worth checking before you set off.
- Clean the windscreen, mirrors and front side windows so damp streaks and brighter breaks in the cloud do not combine into glare.
- Top up screenwash if it is low, because Sunday traffic and wet roads can dirty the glass quickly.
- Check tyres if the car is carrying children, shopping, bags or extra passengers this weekend.
- Make sure fuel or battery range is comfortable before leaving, so a diversion does not become an avoidable problem.
- Move loose bottles, charging cables and bags away from the driver footwell and front seats.
- Keep water, a phone cable, a power bank and any essential medication inside the cabin rather than buried under luggage.
Check the route before closures turn a simple Sunday trip into a longer one
National Highways says planned full closures on England's motorways and major A roads generally run overnight, and its daily closure report includes Sunday 28 June restrictions that can still shape an early journey. One live example on its published works pages is the A1 northbound and southbound weekend closure at Black Cat between Wyboston and Tempsford, running from 9pm on Friday 26 June to 5am on Monday 29 June. Early Sunday drives can still inherit weekend roadworks, diversions and slow restarts, so a one-minute route check before leaving is worth more than finding out after you have joined the queue.
Keep the useful safety kit where it can actually help
If the weather is moving from showers into brighter spells, the useful items are the ones you can reach without unpacking half the car. Water, a charged phone or power bank and a simple emergency kit work best in the passenger area rather than under shopping bags or pushchairs. The same rule applies to a window breaker and seatbelt cutter. If you carry one, keep it close to the front seats instead of letting it disappear under weekend clutter.
A compact single tool is tidy for one regular driver. A two-pack is more practical if you want one near the driver and another in a second car or closer to family passengers.
Recommended JUFO tools for today's Sunday journeys
Keep the tool inside the cabin so it stays reachable if showers, queues or a diversion change the journey.
JUFO 2 Pack Car Window Breaker and Seatbelt Cutter
Best for keeping one tool near the driver and another in a second car or closer to family passengers.
GBP 16.99
JUFO 2-in-1 Car Window Breaker and Seatbelt Cutter
A compact single-car option to keep close to hand for commuting, errands and everyday local driving.
GBP 8.95
Do the easy prep now so the rest of the journey feels lighter
The Met Office says today becomes more seasonable, with showers clearing east and sunnier spells developing later. Clear the glass, top up what is low, check the route and put the useful kit within reach. Small checks completed in the calmer part of Sunday morning usually make the rest of the drive feel cleaner and easier to manage.
Sources: Met Office London & South East forecast for Sunday 28 June 2026; Met Office UK forecast updated 03:00 UTC on Sunday 28 June 2026; National Highways daily closure report last updated 26 June 2026 15:31; National Highways A1 Black Cat to Tempsford weekend closure page; GOV.UK vehicle safety checks.
