Ahead of the much anticipated May bank holiday weekend, a weather analyst at the Met Office, Simon Calder, has 'trawled through 30 years of Met Office figures' to reveal the Isle of Wight is in fact the sunniest place in the UK, enjoying an average of over five hours of sunshine per day.
With an average of 5 hours and 8 minutes of sunshine per day, Shanklin on the Isle of Wight is the brightest town in particular.
Revealed: the sunniest places in the UK.
— Simon Calder (@SimonCalder) May 2, 2024
I've trawled through 30 years of @metoffice figures to find the top sun spots.
Well ahead: Isle of Wight.
South Glamorgan best in Wales – go Barrybados.
Scotland and Northern Ireland: leave those sunglasses at home.https://t.co/kvhr2SqmuF
A spokesperson for the Met Office said: “While these long-term average figures can give an indication on where, on average, sees sunny skies in the UK in the year, it’s important to remember that there’s much variability year-to-year for cloud cover across different places in the UK.
“The UK’s weather patterns are often dictated by the position of the jet stream, a ribbon of air high up in the atmosphere. Subtle difference in its position can influence the dominant weather for the UK, bringing sunshine for some or cloud and rain for others.
“Sunshine doesn’t always mean warm conditions as well, as much depends on the region the air is coming from when it comes to high temperatures. Staying up to date with the forecast is the best advice for those planning a weekend away.”
Top 10 Sunniest Counties
- Isle of Wight – 5 hours 8 minutes
- Kent – 4 hours 47 minutes
- East Sussex – 4 hours 46 minutes
- West Sussex – 4 hours 42 minutes
- Essex – 4 hours 35 minutes
- Dorset – 4 hours 34 minutes
- Suffolk – 4 hours 34 minutes
- Hampshire – 4 hours 32 minutes
- Surrey – 4 hours 29 minutes
- Cornwall – 4 hours 29 minutes
Information provided by the Met Office.
