Last week, the region saw unseasonably high temperatures, as temperatures hitting the 20C mark across all six counties on Thursday.
However, the Met Office has confirmed a “much more changeable” forecast for the week ahead, with a mix of showers and the potential for hail and thunder.
Temperatures will be much cooler, with temperatures dipping into single figures at night, climbing to highs of around 12°C during the day.
People make the most of the morning sunshine at Crawfordsburn beach, Friday, April 11, 2025. (Photo by Peter Morrison)
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph Met Office meteorologist, Tom Morgan, said that temperatures are expected to drop during the day and could fall to freezing at night, though “typical April temperatures” are still expected in most areas.
“Looking ahead, we’re entering a much more changeable period of weather,” he said.
“April is, after all, a notoriously showery month, typically one of the most likely for scattered rain.
“Expect a mix of showers, some of them heavy, with a risk of hail and thunder as well as sunny spells.
“While they’ll be quite localised, many places will see short spells of rain lasting around an hour. This will be the case beginning on Monday and throughout most of the week.”
Mr Morgan added that some days may bring longer spells of rain, especially in generally cloudier areas, but said this is more likely in other parts of the UK.
A paddle boarder makes the most of the the warm weather at Helens Bay, last week (Photo by Peter Morrison)
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“Northern Ireland itself should see more of a mix between showers and sunny intervals,” he explained.
“Temperatures will range from as low as 8°C to highs around the April average of 12 or 13°C. By night, temperatures may drop to low single figures, potentially even down to freezing.
“Some quite chilly nights are on the cards for early April, and daytime temperatures will feel much cooler than what we’ve experienced recently”.
The forecaster added, “In fact, we saw the warmest day so far this year in Northern Ireland last week, but those temperatures are now a distant memory. We won’t be seeing anything that high for the foreseeable future.”
Friday broke the record yet again for Northern Ireland’s hottest day of the year so far, with Castlederg in Co Tyrone reaching up to 22C.
It comes after Thursday was previously announced to be the warmest day of 2025, with areas across all six counties hitting the 20C mark, and regular hotspot Castlederg again hitting 21.8C.
While temperatures may not match the recent highs, the meteorologist cautioned that the sun is “much stronger” at this time of year and urged people to “keep the suncream handy”.
“It’s almost mid-April now, so whenever the sun is out, our advice is to protect your skin,” he added.
“While we’re not expecting the kind of sunshine we’ve seen in recent days, during sunny spells it will feel pleasantly warm, and the sun has some strength to it now. Our advice is to remember to apply suncream when necessary.”