The Irish winter just passed was wetter and warmer than normal with temperatures exceeding long-term averages for the sixth season in a row, according to new figures from Met Éireann.
The fresh data suggest that the national mean winter temperature was 6.58 degrees, which is 1.21 degrees above the average recorded between 1961 and 1990 and 0.58 degrees higher than the average recorded between 1991 and 2020.
The figures suggest that average rainfall was 113 per cent of the norm, making it the 17th wettest winter since records began.
The wet winter in the midlands, south and east was due to a south-shifted jet stream and a succession of slow-moving low pressure systems that brought repeated frontal rainbands from the south.
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By contrast, the northwest experienced drier than average conditions.
December was mixed with Atlantic low pressure dominating the first two-thirds, bringing mild, wet and sometimes windy conditions.
The final third of the month was cool, dry and less windy when high pressure to the north became established. This led into a cold and mostly dry beginning to January with spells of crisp, winter sunshine and widespread frost at night before low pressure took control towards the end of the first week.
For the second half of January and first two thirds of February, a strong North Atlantic jet stream directed a succession of low pressure systems toward the country from the southwest.
At the same time, a cold blocking high pressure system over northern and eastern Europe caused these systems to slow or stall to the southwest of Ireland. This pattern resulted in repeated frontal rainbands moving up from the south, giving prolonged spells of heavy rain, concentrated over the south and east of the country. The season finished with a return to more typical Atlantic westerlies.
The majority of seasonal rainfall totals were above their long-term averages with the percentage of rainfall values ranging from 79 per cent at Finner, Co Donegal to 174 per cent at Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford, which had its wettest winter since 2016 and second wettest since records began in 1942.
Along with Johnstown Castle, five other stations – Dublin Airport, the Phoenix Park, Casement Aerodrome, Mullingar and Dunsany, Co Meath – had their wettest winters since 2016.
All mean air temperatures across the country were above their norms for the season.
Percentage sunshine values were variable across the country and ranged from 89 per cent of the norm at Casement Aerodrome to 100 per cent at Shannon Airport
The highest number of daily sunshine hours recorded this season was 8.3 hours at Cork Airport, Co Cork on Sunday, February 1st. The number of dull days ranged from 31 at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry to 44 days at Shannon Airport, Co Clare. Dublin had its dullest winter since 1994.
Seasonal mean wind speeds ranged from 10.7km/h at Moore Park, Co Cork to 32.2km/h at Malin Head, Co Donegal. Gales were reported on the numerous days with strong gales reported on December 9th during storm Bram, and between January 25th and 27th during storm Chandra.
