Balmoral Show 2026: Met Office gives detailed weather forecast for four day event
The Met Office forecast for the 2026 Balmoral Show is cooler than average weather for mid‑May, with a mix of brighter spells and some showers rather than persistent rain.
Met Office spokeswoman Nicola Maxey told the News Letter: "Overall, it will feel on the cool side, particularly in the wind, and anyone heading along should be prepared for the odd shower, especially mid‑week.
"Temperatures are expected to be a little below the seasonal average for Northern Ireland at this time of year.
"As ever, it’s worth keeping an eye on the latest forecast as timings of showers can change day to day."
The forecast suggests that the show may have a damp and blustery start but gradually improve towards Saturday.
Wednesday is expected to reach 13C with the possibility of light showers all day and gusts of wind reaching 38mph.
Thursday may see light showers until noon, reaching temperatures of 12C with gusts reaching 35mph.
Friday could be the brightest day, with sunny intervals and no showers currently expected, reaching 14C and winds gusting to 28mph.
The forecaster says Saturday will be mainly cloudy and should also reach 14C, with no rain forecast at this time and gusts of wind reaching 16mph.
The forecaster says Saturday will feel like the warmest day - like 12C – presumably because it will have the lowest windspeed.
Sunday to Tuesday next week will see periods of rain or showers, some of which could be heavy, for many places, with some drier interludes. This should be followed by more settled weather.
Temperatures will begin cooler than average but may become rather warm by Tuesday especially in the south.