JERSEY retained the title of the sunniest place in the British Isles in 2022, with 10% more sunshine than the nearest rival, new figures have confirmed.
Data from the UK Met Office showed that Preston in Dorset was the sunniest place in the UK for the second year running, with a total of 2,204 hours of sun across the year – well behind the Jersey total of 2,420, which was the highest figure since records began in 1925.
Claire Lyons, interim chief executive of Visit Jersey, said: ‘We’re delighted for Jersey to be confirmed as the sunniest spot in the British Isles for the fifth year in a row. At Visit Jersey our campaigns celebrate all of the reasons to love Jersey year-round, but locals and visitors alike will agree that nothing tops a sunny day in Jersey, surrounded by the shimmering sea.
‘Visit Jersey is working closely with industry partners and local businesses to continue growing the Island’s visitor economy, and we look forward to welcoming tourists to our sunny shores this year.’
The podium places for the British Isles in 2022 were the same as the previous year, with Guernsey ranked third with a total of 2,117 hours of sunshine.
As well as being the sunniest year on record, 2022 was also the hottest, with an average temperature of 13.56°C, beating the previous record of 13.34°C in 2014 and more than a degree above the average for the past 30 years of 12.39°C.
Jersey Met released figures yesterday showing how the Island had fared during January, a month that saw 44% more rain than the average for the past 30 years.
A total of 137.4mm of rainfall was recorded, including 47mm during a period of less than 24 hours on 16 and 17 January, causing severe flooding in Grands Vaux and several other areas. The total exceeded the monthly average of 95.2mm, but was short of the record 190.9mm registered in 2016.
January was the third successive month of above-average rainfall. The month was a little duller than usual, with 67.9 hours’ sunshine compared to the average figure of 74, and milder – with an average temperature 0.8°C above the average for the month of 7°C.
