Northern Ireland still cold enough for frost in June says Met Office weather forecaster

​It is still cool enough for frost in Northern Ireland despite being only one week away from the longest day of the year, the Met Office has said.

The forecaster says the UK will have to wait until the end of June at least for warmer weather because of cold winds blowing in from the Arctic.

The UK has been experiencing temperatures three to five degrees below the season average over the past week, forecasters said.

A Met Office spokesman said: "We are currently experiencing a cooler than average start to June in Northern Ireland thanks to a spell of northerly winds.

"The lowest temperature was recorded at Katesbridge which fell to 1.8C on the morning of 6 June. However, we should begin to see a recovery in temperatures during the coming days as winds shift back round to a southwesterly direction.”

By contrast rainfall is currently below average for this point in June for both NI and the UK. The News Letter told the Met Office there had been anecdotal reports of frost in Kilkeel this week.

The spokesman replied: "None of our official stations have recorded a frost so I can’t officially say there has been a frost this week, but with Katesesbridge falling to 1.8C that is certainly low enough for a touch of grass frost in places."

He said “air frost” in NI is not common in June "but certainly happened at times in the past". You would expect ground frost "most years" but just once and probably early in the month.

"June 2020 saw a very similar start to the month with cooler than usual conditions with the lowest temperature that month of -1.1C also recorded at Katesbridge," he added.