Northern Ireland basks as UK hits highest temperatures so far for 2025

However, much of NI was rather more chilly, with maximum temperatures across the Province averaging 13.3C, dropping as low as 11.2C at Ballypatrick Forest in Co Antrim.

While cool in places it was dry with plenty of sunny spells and blue skies.

The highest temperature in Northern Ireland today was 17.1C at Derrylin which was not quite a record for 2025 so far – which currently sits at 17.2C on 9 March at Killowen in Co Down.

A Met Office spokesman told the News Letter: "The average temperature at this time of the year for Northern Ireland should be around 11C. However, in Spring we can experience warmer and colder spells, all typical for the month of March. The overall March record is 21.8C at Armagh set on 29 March 1965."

The UK as a whole reached its highest temperatures for the year today, with 21.3C in both Northolt, west London, and Chertsey, Surrey.

It beat this year’s previous top figure of 19.7C in Crosby, Merseyside, on 9 March and was just shy of the highest recorded UK spring equinox (20 March) temperature of 21.5C in 1972.

Wales also enjoyed both its hottest day of 2025 so far and its warmest spring equinox as Gogerddan saw a peak of 20.4C.

In Scotland the mercury peaked at 16.1C in Auchincruive in Ayrshire.

Sunseekers may be disappointed as temperatures are set to dip back to the averages for this time of year of around 11-12C in the coming days.