June's hottest day well below normal

It looks like summer is finally here to stay after a false start during the middle of last month, with temperatures hovering around the average mark for this time of year.

The Met Office said cooler temperatures during the past two weeks were due to cool, dry air as a result of a low pressure system, which developed over the Gulf of Genoa and moved eastwards towards the Balkans.

Temperatures went down to 19.5 °C for those two weeks, in contrast to a warming trend which usually occurs.

The highest temperature last month was 33.1°C, a full 7°C lower than the highest average usually recorded in June.

The mean air temperature was 22.9 °C, 0.1°C less than usual. The warmest June was in 2003, with a mean temperature of 26.1°C, while the coolest was in 1933 with 20.9°C.

The lowest minimum temperature was 16°C, recorded on June 2 and the 26th. The coolest June night since 1923 was June 7, 1975, with a low of 12.6°C.

June had an average of 11 hours of sunshine a day, which is normal for this time of the year.