Only three years out of the past 95 saw more sunshine in Jersey than 2019, according to end-of-year figures released by Jersey Met.
The Island experienced 2,298 hours of sunshine across the whole of last year making it the fourth sunniest on record.
The figure was more than 300 hours above the average mark for the 30 years ending in 2010.
After a dull January, sunshine hours were above average during every month for the rest of the year, with the exception of October and November.
The end result left 2019 fourth on the historical list, which dates back to 1925 and is topped by 2010, when the sun shone for 2,403 hours.
As well as being one of the sunniest years on record, 2019 ranked eighth in terms of the Island’s warmest and wettest on record.
An average temperature of 12.79°C was recorded across the year, significantly above the 12.09°C average figure for the three decades to 2010.
The figures confirm the observations made by Jersey Met last month about the effects of climate change bringing a series of above-average readings for recent years.
All of Jersey’s eight warmest years on record have been recorded in the last 30 years, with four of them covering the past decade – 2014 was the hottest year on record, with an average temperature of 13.34°C, followed by 12.96°C in 2011.
The hot weather peaked on 23 July, when a reading of 35.7°C was recorded – just 0.3°C behind the record mark set in 2003.
Rainfall for the year was significantly affected by the second-wettest autumn on record – this contributed to a year-end total of 1,063mm. This was well above the 30-year average mark of 875mm, and eighth in the all-time list, which is headed by a reading of 1,108mm for 1960.
Other notable statistics released yesterday included:
- An average sea temperature for the year of 13.28°C, more than half a degree above the 30-year average mark of 12.73°C.
- The temperature gauge never falling below freezing in 2019, with a minimum mark of 0.0°C on 31 January and 3 February.
- Fine sunny weather on Christmas Day contributing to a monthly total of 93 hours of sunshine, the sixth-sunniest December on record.
