Bank Holiday weather: Met Office explains what’s in store for NI on Monday

Monday marks the first of two bank holidays this month, with the second on May 27.

According to the weather group, the forecast for Monday will be a bit of a mixed bag.

They predict a cloudy morning with a few showers at times, but “becoming generally brighter, especially in the south where there may be some sunny spells later”.

The maximum temperature is set to be 14C in western parts such as Castlederg in Co Tyrone, while areas like Belfast will feel a slightly cooler 12C. The lowest temperature will be around 6C.

Showers are expected towards the north-west with rain in Londonderry set to run until the late afternoon and Ballymena is also set to have a wet start.

The outlook for Monday comes after Northern Ireland experienced a mixed batch of weather over the weekend, with cloudy starts but warm highs of 16C.

As for the rest of the week, the Met Office has said it expects a dry day with sunny spells developing on Tuesday.

It will be dry with some sunshine on Wednesday morning, with some patchy rain later, and Thursday will have sunny spells.

The “generally bright weather” comes just days after Northern Ireland officially recorded its warmest day of 2024, with Castlederg again proving to be the regional hotspot once again.

The Met Office said the mercury broke the previous high of 19.3C recorded in the Co Tyrone town on April 21, with a temperature of 20C on Thursday.

The rest of the UK is predicted to have similar weather to Northern Ireland’s for the bank holiday, with the Met Office predicting a “rather cloudy start “in the north with some brighter spells and heavy showers developing.

There will be sunny spells further south with heavy showers and thunderstorms through the afternoon.

London is expected to reach an average of 15C and will remain cloudy with outbreaks of rain. In the sun, the temperature is likely to hit the high teens.

East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire will see the warmest spells in the UK with highs of 20C and 21C.

Greg Dewhurst, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “Overall, it will be a mix of sunny spells and showers across the country.

“Anywhere could catch some rain so people should be prepared for that.

“For people looking to get away, there will be some sunshine and warm spells. And if you manage to avoid showers, then it will be nice in the sun.”