Spring equinox brings warmer weather to Northern Ireland

Thursday marks the beginning of spring with the arrival of the spring equinox at 09:01 GMT. This is the time when the sun shines directly on the equator, leading to nearly equal day and night lengths. Recently, on St Patrick's Day, March 17, day and night were equal in length. This slight difference in time occurs because the sun rises a bit before its center appears and sets afterwards, giving us longer daylight hours. As spring begins, Northern Ireland is enjoying milder and sunnier weather. A high-pressure system over eastern Europe and low pressure to the southwest is bringing warmer temperatures. Some areas in the west of Northern Ireland could reach highs of 15C, which is about 5C above the average for this time of year. However, this warm spell may not last. As the weekend approaches, low pressure is expected to take over, causing temperatures to drop. Rain is likely, especially from Friday night into Saturday, making the weather more unsettled.