Why has Northern Ireland not seen any sunshine recently?

A vibrant picture of a rugby pitch taken from ground level - the grass and autumnal leaves lying on the ground are at the forefront of the image while the goal posts and bushes can be seen in the background. The sky is blue but there are clouds looming. — Image caption,
Autumn leaves graced the ground in Enniskillen last week

Barra Best

BBC News NI weather presenter

9 November 2024

Missing the sunshine? You are not alone.

Northern Ireland has been shrouded in cloud, with patches of drizzle, mist, and fog for more than a week now, as a feature known as anticyclonic gloom keeps hold of our weather systems.

The last time we enjoyed any real sunshine was on Sunday 27 October, and even then it was limited as cloudy weather began to dominate in the lead-up to Halloween.

High pressure—an anticyclone—is currently dominating our weather.

Anticyclonic gloom

A beach on the north coast of Northern Ireland on a gloomy, cloudy day. The sky is grey/blue and there is puddles of water lying on the sand. The green sand dunes hug the skyline.

BBC Weather Watcher Dermy C

North coast beaches look very atmospheric in this weather

While high-pressure areas often bring clear and calm conditions, they can also trap cloud and moisture near the Earth's surface.

This results in low cloud, mist, and fog that can’t lift and clear, as winds are so light and the sunshine so weak.

Sometimes, this gloomy weather can persist for days or even weeks, creating a sense of monotony.

Record-breaking temperatures

Belfast view from the Maritime Mile showcasing boats docked in the harbour and buildings lit up in the early evening. The sky in the background has a pink tone to it but clouds fill the sky.

BBC Weather Watcher A-Lo

Low clouds over the river Lagan in Belfast

This spell of high pressure has also contributed to unusually mild conditions for this time of year.

Temperatures climbed to 18C on Wednesday 6 November—more than 8C above the usual average.

The average maximum temperature for Northern Ireland in November is 9.7C.

It was so mild that day that several weather stations set new November records.

Thomastown in County Fermanagh recorded 17.9C, beating its previous record of 16.3C, set in 2016. Castlederg in County Tyrone recorded 17.1C, surpassing its previous record of 16.9C from 2003.

In the Republic of Ireland, new November records were set at 11 individual weather stations.

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Brighter outlook

While the unseasonably dull skies have led to murky conditions, the forecast offers a glimmer of hope, with sunny spells expected to break through after some early patchy rain on Sunday.

These brighter intervals are anticipated to continue into next week, although cloud is expected to thicken again at times as the week goes on.

High pressure is expected to dominate once more next week, with mainly dry weather continuing until the middle of the month.

Anticyclonic gloom

Record-breaking temperatures

Brighter outlook

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