MANY SUSPECTED it and now it’s official. This summer has been one of the dullest, wettest and coolest in years, Met Éireann confirmed yesterday.
Temperatures and sunshine were below average, while rainfall was higher than usual in June, July and August.
Total rainfall was above average across the country but the south was worst hit. In August most stations in Cork recorded above average rainfall, with many reporting their wettest August in 13 to 15 years.
Mullingar and Cork Airport reported their wettest summers since records began, while Claremorris and Knock Airport in Co Mayo recorded their wettest summers since 1985 and 1996 respectively.
The majority of weather stations reported their highest daily rainfall in June.
Nearly all lowest minimum temperatures were recorded in mid-June, with the summer’s lowest temperature of 2.4 degrees recorded at Markree, Co Sligo, on June 10th.
Malin Head recorded the most rain in one day with 50.9mm falling on June 22nd, its highest daily rainfall in 57 years. The west and south recorded more wet days than the rest of Ireland.
Total sunshine was low apart from western coastal areas.
Valentia Observatory reported its dullest summer in 32 years.
The summer’s highest temperature of 26.5 degrees was recorded on August 10th at Shannon Airport, and was the highest in August in Shannon since 2003.
Met Éireann figures show that average air temperatures for the season were also below average.
Sunshine totals for summer were below average nearly everywhere except on western coastal areas.
Most weather stations recorded the dullest summer in a number of years.
With the return of school the weather usually takes a turn for the better and this year has been no exception.
Met Éireann is forecasting dry and warm weather this week, with temperatures of up to 20 degrees later in the week.
Weather forecaster John Eagleton said this was the worst summer since 1986 or “the year of the moving statues”.
“That year was in the height of the depression. Whenever you look at file footage of that year everyone was wearing raincoats,” said Eagleton.
“There should be a few good days this week as fronts are weakening, as opposed to activating earlier this summer.
“There might be a few showers today but nothing particularly bad.”