Skip to content

Northern Ireland has second-sunniest April on record

Barra Best
BBC News NI
BBC Weather Watcher Happy Snapper Field in Limavady, with hill in the background and blue sky with cloud.BBC Weather Watcher Happy Snapper
Limavady in County Londonderry basked in the sunshine in this image on 30 April

Northern Ireland has recorded its second-sunniest April on record, with sunshine hours well above the average for the time of year.

According to the Met Office there were 215.7 hours of sun throughout the month, which is 46% more than normal.

The sunniest April on record for Northern Ireland was in 2021 when there were 216.2 hours of sunshine.

While the rest of the UK also recorded above average sunshine, Northern Ireland stood out as being the only area to record more rainfall than expected.

BBC Weather Watcher Matt Brown cows with horns in field covered with grass at Dundrum, County Down. The cows are Highland cows and have long horns. There is a cloudy backdrop and mountains behind them.BBC Weather Watcher Matt
Dark skies hovered over these cows at Dundrum, County Down, on 14 April

A total of 114% of the average rain fell, largely due to a heavy spell of rain mid-month, sandwiched between periods of stable, high-pressure conditions.

April was also quite a bit warmer than usual with a mean temperature of 9.8C - 1.9C above average - making it the third warmest April on record.

The warmer and sunnier conditions follow a similar story in March when the mean temperature was 1.5C above normal, and there was 13% more sunshine than usual.

However March was a very dry month with just 31% of normal rainfall recorded.

BBC Weather Watcher Happy Snapper People on the sand at Helen's Bay in County Down on 11 April. Beach in the foreground, with blue water in the distance.BBC Weather Watcher Happy Snapper
Some people enjoyed the sunshine at Helen's Bay in County Down on 11 April

April ended on a remarkably warm note, as temperatures soared to more than 10C above normal on the 30th, with 24.1C recorded at both Castlederg in County Tyrone and Derrylin in County Fermanagh.

That was the warmest April day on record since 1984, with the average temperature for the month being just 12C.

On the same day, the Republic of Ireland provisionally had its warmest April day on record as thermometers climbed to 25.9C in Athenry in County Mayo.

The previous record was 25.8C recorded in County Donegal in 1984.

According to Climate Central - a United States based non-profit - Wednesday's high temperatures were made at least two to three times more likely by climate change and, for some, at least four to five times more likely.