Beast from the Easter leaves NI awash
Bad weather to continue for the rest of the week
IT may be the Easter holidays but raincoats and brollies are a must for the week ahead as persistent showers continue.
Forecaster Gordon McKinstry from the Met Office said that while a soggy spell was in store for Northern Ireland, temperatures are set to rise.
Following a sleet-filled Easter Monday which saw snow in the Antrim Hills, Mournes and Sperrins, a yellow weather warning for rain is due to end at 9am this morning.
Outbreaks of heavy showers with the possibility of thunder are expected to move northwards across Northern Ireland throughout the morning.
The Met Office warned that spray and flooding could make journey times longer for drivers as well as bus and rail passengers.
“That showery band will move to the north in the afternoon, but we could still see some showers developing in the general Belfast/ Antrim area,” Mr McKinstry said.
With a biting cold temperature of four degrees on Monday, today’s showers will bring a band of warmer air seeing temperatures back into double figures.
“With a low pressure system close to us, I’m afraid I can’t offer nice settled conditions for the rest of the week,” Mr McKinstry said.
More heavy showers are expected in the eastern part of Northern Ireland early tomor- A flooded play park in Donaghadee and (right), dog walking on a cold Easter Monday afternoon on a very empty Portstewart Strand beach
row with a cloudy afternoon to follow. Moderate temperatures early tomorrow evening will drop overnight with cold air from the north causing a frost.
“That cold air will make it pretty chilly for anyone hoping to be out camping for the Easter holidays on Wednesday night,” Mr McKinstry said.
Early on Thursday will bring the best conditions of the week with sunny spells melting away the morning ice. “Another Atlantic wave of low pressure later on Thursday will bring another band of fairly hefty rain with strongish south-easterly winds,” he said.
This persists into Friday with A lone lifeguard on Portstewart Strand and (above) daffodils on the M2 feel the icy conditions
further spells of showers but with more steady temperatures expected.
Yesterday, many visitor attractions across Northern Ireland became a no-go for families keen to enjoy an Easter Monday out together.
In Carrickfergus a fairground that was forced to turn away visitors apologised for the inconvenience but said public safety was its priority.
Portstewart Strand, usually swamped with visitors on sunny bank holidays, was deserted apart from a few hardy dog walkers.
Conditions across other parts of the UK were even more treacherous yesterday, with yellow weather warnings issued for most areas.
The Met Office reported snowfall of up to four inches in northern parts of England, Wales and Scotland as well as 40mm of rainfall in some areas.
A yellow weather warning for widespread rain and some hill snow remains in place across Scotland today with a further yellow warning for snow in northern Scotland tomorrow.