Diary of Highlights

1st to 8th
A dry and settled start to the month, with high pressure dominating. The 1st through to the 5th was dry and mostly sunny with some frost and fog in the mornings. Top temperatures generally 14 to 16 °C, but 17 °C on 5th in Newry. The 6th was another dry and mostly sunny day, temperatures again around 15 or 16 °C, although a chilly start, with a temperature of -2.6 °C recorded at Katesbridge. Similar weather on the 7th. Patchy mist dispersed after dawn on the 8th, leaving often large amounts of cloud with som

9th to 15th
Rather cloudy on the 9th, 10th and 11th with spots of rain/drizzle, mainly across the north and west while eastern areas had brighter/clearer spells. Temperatures reaching 16 °C on the 11th. The 12th and 13th were dry everywhere with almost unbroken sunshine and temperatures up to 18 °C. Similar on the 14th with temperatures in excess of 20 °C. Early mist cleared on the 15th to another bright or sunny day with temperatures in excess of 17 °C. Patchy rain developed during the evening.

16th to 20th
After a crisp sunny start on the 16th cloud increased to bring a few light showers. Showers cleared south-eastwards with bright, sunny or clear spells on the 17th. The 18th started off chilly with -2 °C being recorded at Katesbridge, but a fine day followed with daytime temperatures reaching in excess of 15 °C. The 19th was mostly cloudy with patchy light rain. Dry on the 20th with variable, often large, amounts of cloud and sunny spells with 17 °C recorded in the west.

21st to 23rd
The 21st was rather cloudy with patchy rain mainly across the north but some brighter spells with temperatures reaching 18 °C in Newry. Outbreaks of mainly light rain cleared eastwards soon after dawn on the 22nd with sunny spells and scattered showers developing as temperatures reached towards 20 °C in Newry. Cloud increased from the west during the evening which led to rain during the morning and afternoon of the 23rd with brighter or clearer conditions with showers following during the afternoon and evening. The 24 hour minimum temperature at Aldergrove fell no lower than 12.7 °C on 23rd, which is an April record for Aldergrove (records back to 1931).

24th to 26th
The 24th was a mixed day with variable cloud, some showery rain and some bright or sunny spells, these lifting temperatures to 17 °C in many areas. Another showery day on the 25th, some heavy in the early hours but turning light and scattered through the day. Patchy mist, fog and frost dissipated after dawn on the 26th with a bright or sunny day following. The temperature range at Castlederg was 0 °C to 17C.

27th to 30th
The 27th to the 30th was dry and sunny with temperatures reaching 17 or 18 °C but the east coast was cooler due to an onshore wind.