Northern Ireland

Summer 2020 was dullest on record for 33 years

August 2020 was the wettest for 12 years and ninth wettest since daily rainfall records began at Armagh Observatory in 1838. Picture by Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press
August 2020 was the wettest for 12 years and ninth wettest since daily rainfall records began at Armagh Observatory in 1838. Picture by Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press August 2020 was the wettest for 12 years and ninth wettest since daily rainfall records began at Armagh Observatory in 1838. Picture by Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

Summer 2020 was the dullest for 33 years.

According to the Armagh Observatory, it was also the third dullest on record.

Taking in the three months of June, July and August, the summer was also the wettest for eight years and the coldest for five years.

August was the wettest for 12 years and the ninth wettest since daily rainfall records began at the Observatory in 1838.

The total rainfall in August was 147.15mm which is nearly 80 per cent more than the long-term (1838-2010) average, and 93 per cent more than the most recent 30-year average.

The wettest day came on August 24 with 29.7mm of rainfall from Storm Francis.

Following a cool July, the hottest day came on August 13 when 25.3 degrees Celsius was recorded.

The brief spell of hot weather continued with 24.4C, recorded on August 14 and 23.6C on August 15.

The sunniest day came on August 12 with 11.6 hours of strong sunshine.

This was preceded on the 8th with 10.6 hours of strong sunshine.

In total just 122.2 hours of strong sunshine were recorded at the Observatory in August – this comes after last August was found to be the sunniest for 16 years.