Bank Holiday weather forecast for Northern Ireland: Met Office gives reasons for cheer
After a pretty chilly May so far, Northern Ireland at last due to enjoy warm and settled weather over the Bank Holiday weekend - with above average temperatures expected to last well into next week.
The moderate forecast stands in stark contrast to that for England, which has amber heat alerts in place and is expected to see a rise in deaths among the over 65s, with temperatures expected to reach 33C in some parts
The UK is experienced the hottest day of the year so far yesterday (Friday), with Temperatures reaching 26.9C in Heathrow, west London.
It comes as the UK is forecast to see its hottest May day on record on Monday, with temperatures expected to reach 33C in southern England and the Midlands.
The current May temperature record is 32.8C.
Northern Ireland, meanwhile will see a spell of generally warm and settled weather across the weekend, although it will not be as hot as parts of southern UK.
Temperatures for Belfast are expected to reach a minimum of 19C from Saturday until Thursday next but Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday are expected to reach 21C.
"After a more unsettled end to the week, with some cloud and patchy rain at times, conditions improve into Saturday with prolonged bright or sunny spells developing," Met Office spokeswoman Nicola Maxey told the News Letter.
"Daytime temperatures are expected to reach low 20°C. Through Sunday, it will remain largely warm and fine for many areas, although cloud may increase at times, particularly in the northwest, where there is a chance of some light rain. Temperatures are likely to edge a little higher into the low to mid 20s Celsius in places.
"Into Bank Holiday Monday, Northern Ireland is expected to stay warm, with temperatures broadly in the low to mid 20s Celsius, though locally a little lower nearer coasts. Looking further ahead into next week, conditions remain generally settled at first with plenty of dry weather and sunny spells. Temperatures are expected to stay above average for the time of year, feeling warm at times, before gradually easing later in the week."
While much of the UK will experience very warm or even hot conditions over the Bank Holiday weekend, Northern Ireland is expected to stay cooler overall, with a greater influence from cloud and occasional showers, especially in more western areas.
The warmer conditions are expected to continue through next week.
Meanwhile, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued an amber heat health alert on Friday morning for the East Midlands, West Midlands, the east of England, London and the South East.
The alerts are in place until 5pm next Wednesday.
They mean there is likely to be “a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions” and increased demand on all health and social care services, according to the UKHSA website.
New yellow alerts have been issued for the north-east and north-west of England, Yorkshire and Humber, and the South West.
Dr Anya Gopfert, consultant in health protection at UKHSA, said: “We know that even moderate heat can lead to serious health problems, especially for older people and those with certain health conditions, so it’s important that everyone takes simple precautions while enjoying the warm weather over the coming days.