August warmer and drier than average for island

A top temperature for the month of 24.6C was recorded on 12 August

August on the Isle of Man was warmer and drier than the 30-year average.

Ronaldsway Met Office said the top average temperature was 19.8C (67.6F), which was 1.7C (35F) above the mean recorded between 1991 to 2020.

Forecasters said the average minimum temperature across the month of 14C (57.2F) was the highest since records began in 1948, "pipping the 13.9C from 1995".

It was also the driest August since 2003, with 0.9in (2.3cm) of rainfall recorded, following a fortnight in the middle of the month which was "virtually dry".

About 0.5in (1.2cm) of rain fell during the first week of the month, with the same amount captured in the gauge at the end of the month.

However, the overall figure for the month was considerably higher than the record set in August of 1976, which saw just 0.1in (0.4cm) of rain.

Qualifying for the Classic TT and Manx Grand Prix saw dry conditions before rainfall during race week

The met office figures also showed the highest temperature of the month was 24.6C (76.2F) taken 12 August.

Meanwhile, the average 24-hour temperature was 16.9C (62.4F) - making it the second warmest behind the August of 1995, which reached 17.8C (64F).

A total of 204.8 hours of sunshine were logged, about 20 hours up on the average, with 17 August notching up 13.2 hours making it the sunniest.

Forecasters said winds were light for much of the month, apart from some strong winds on 4 August amid Storm Floris and on the final day of the month.

Observer Gary Salisbury said, while still being analysed, data for the summer as a whole was provisionally "likely to be the warmest on record".