PEOPLE travelling to Glastonbury by car, caravan or campervan have been warned not to travel because "wet weather and ground conditions" are causing congestion.
Festival organisers urged people who had set off but not yet reached the site to "stop somewhere safe and warm".
"If you are already queueing to get into the site, please bear with us and follow the instructions from the signage and traffic managers," they advised in a Twitter message.
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People arriving by coach or train were told to travel as planned but to be prepared for "your journey to take longer than usual".
Today sees the start of arrivals at the event, with more than 180,000 festival- goers expected to pour in over the rest of the week.
The Met Office posted a weather update on its Twitter account, saying: "Further outbreaks of #rain over #Glastonbury this morning, adding to the already very wet ground conditions."
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The festival site was dubbed a mudbath earlier in the week following showers, and pictures shared by workers at the festival showed boggy fields and submerged paths.
This year's headline acts are Muse, Adele and Coldplay, who will all take to the famous Pyramid Stage.
Wiltshire Police warned people travelling by road to seek an alternative route following a four-car accident on the A303 westbound which has brought traffic to a standstill.
"No serious injuries. Road blocked, seek alternate route," they tweeted.
Avon and Somerset Police echoed the warning from festival organisers.
A force spokesman said: "We're strongly advising people to avoid travelling on main roads leading to the Glastonbury Festival site in Pilton due to heavy traffic.
"At the moment, traffic is queuing from the festival site in Pilton along the A361 to West Pennard.
"There's also very heavy traffic on the A37 north and south of the junctions with the A361. The traffic is congested south of the A361 to within a few miles of the A303.
"We're advising people to avoid travelling in this area unless it's absolutely necessary. If you're planning to travel to the festival, please delay your journey until later in the day or avoid coming to the site today altogether.
"If you've already left, then find somewhere to stop and wait until the traffic congestion situation improves.
Friends from Farnworth, Wez Myers, 38, Carl Myers, 41, Josh Orrell, 26 and Danny Hope, 27, arrive at Glastonbury after a 14-hour drive from Bolton
"A temporary campervan and caravan holding site has been set up at the Bath & West Showground.
"We'd also ask people to stay in their cars if possible, so when traffic starts moving it doesn't cause further delays."
AA president Edmund King also warned of "heavy and widespread congestion" on the roads around the festival site, including severe delays on the A361, A37 and A39.
"We would advise festival-goers not yet on the approaches to Glastonbury to travel later," he said.
Meteorologist Emma Sharples said the weather looked likely to clear up and predicted a dry night for festival-goers.
She told the Press Association that temperatures on Wednesday could still reach highs of around 19C (66.2F) or 20C (68F).
Ms Sharples, who works for the Met Office, said Thursday should be a dry day, followed by a dry start for Friday with showers developing in the middle of the day and afternoon.
"It doesn't look like the showers will be too heavy for the Glastonbury area, but you couldn't rule out heavy ones coming through and then it's a very similar set-up as we go through to Saturday with showers developing," she said.
"Of course, showers are a bit hit and miss, so it doesn't mean the whole site will see them; parts (of the site) may see showers and parts may remain in sunshine."
The festival looks set to end on a high note with Ms Sharples predicting a "fine, bright day with plenty of sunshine" and temperatures in the low 20s for Sunday.
Road traffic issues are not the only problems the festival is experiencing: the official Glastonbury website homepage is featuring a temporary holding page message.
The only content appearing on the homepage is a Twitter feed, with the latest updates from the police and festival.
Glastonbury Festival said the "picture is improving" at the site after issuing an earlier warning to people who had not yet set off to stay home.
An updated statement said: "The current wet weather and ground conditions are still causing heavy traffic congestion around the Glastonbury Festival site. But we're pleased to report that the picture is improving.
"Our advice for those yet to set off by car/campervan is still to remain where you are for the time being, please.
"Because of the reduction in traffic approaching the area, queues are not currently getting worse and traffic is still making it on to the site.
"If you have set off and have yet to reach the site, there is no need to rush. Take your time and stop off. The longer you leave it, the less you will have to queue.
"Remember the festival's entertainment does not begin until Friday. Gates are open but there is plenty of capacity in the camping areas.
"If you are coming to the festival by coach or train, please set off as planned. But please be prepared for your journey to take longer than usual."
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