JERSEY has retained the title of sunniest place in the British Isles following the release of weather data for 2021.
A total of 2,331 hours of sunshine during the year put the Island well ahead of Preston, in Dorset, which recorded the second-highest tally, and also more than 400 hours ahead of Guernsey.
Confirmation of the 2021 data was welcomed by Visit Jersey, which has used weather-related information as part of its marketing campaigns in recent years.
Visit Jersey chief executive Amanda Burns said: ‘We’re delighted with the news that Jersey is the sunniest spot in the British Isles for the fourth year running.
‘Our current campaign Curiously Brit…(ish) positions Jersey as a destination close to home but a world away. With an extra 342 hours of sunshine [compared to nearest rivals Preston], visitors can look forward to a holiday that feels ever so exotic.’
Ms Burns said that promotion based on the 2020 figures had been a ‘significant talking point’ in the UK press 12 months ago, and that the intention was to achieve further coverage.
She added: ‘It’s perfect timing, with Brits starved of sun over the winter months and dreaming of sunnier days.’
After the second sunniest year on record during 2020, when 2,392 hours of sunshine were recorded, last year ranked fourth on the all-time Jersey list, which dates back to 1925.
The Island’s 2021 total was 240 hours beyond the average figure for the past 30 years, while the temperature and rainfall figures were less remarkable. An average temperature across the year of 12.31°C was 0.08°C below the 30-year average, while 906mm of rain fell compared with an average annual figure of 918mm.
A spokesperson for Jersey Met said that the 2021 figures were provisional, with confirmed data set to be published within a few weeks.
Preston, which is four miles north-east of Weymouth in Dorset, ranked second in 2021, with 1,989 hours of sunshine, having been third in the equivalent list in 2020, behind Jersey and Shoeburyness in Essex.
