May 2020 one of sunniest and driest on record for Greater Manchester

Rochdale town centre in the sun

May 2020 has been one of the sunniest on record for Greater Manchester, according to figures from the Met Office.

In total, 266 hours of sunshine were observed in May 2020 – making it the second sunniest May behind 2018, and the sixth sunniest month since 1929.

The sunniest month on record for Greater Manchester was 284 hours of sunshine in June 1957, followed by July 2006, June 1940, May 2018, and July 1955.

May 2020 has also been one of the driest Mays on record for Rochdale, with the local weather station recording just 7.8mm of rain. Since 1949, the driest May months were recorded in 2001 (2.4mm) and 1970 (3.8mm).

Local temperatures also reached high temperatures for the month, the joint third highest since 1949. Temperatures reached 26.7°C on 20 May 2020 – matching temperatures recorded on 17 May 1952.

The warmest May day on record is currently 25 May 2017, when the mercury reached 27.3°C.

In a similar national picture, Spring 2020 recorded 696 hours of sunshine in England – making it the sunniest Spring on record for the whole of the UK – exceeding the sunshine amount for most summer seasons, with only three UK summers being sunnier (1976, 1995, and 1989).

It has been the fifth driest spring for the UK overall, and also the fifth warmest Spring on record for England.

Dr Mark McCarthy is the head of the Met Office’s National Climate Information Centre. He said: “The most remarkable aspect is just how much some of the May and Spring records for these climate statistics have been exceeded.

“The principal reason for the dry and sunny weather is the extended period of high pressure which has been centred over or close to the UK. This has suppressed the development of clouds and rainfall over the UK, while allowing plenty of sunshine to reach the surface.

“There has been a band of similar weather conditions extending across central parts of Europe, whereas Iberia and parts of Scandinavia have experienced rather wetter conditions.”