Tim O’Brien
Spring in Ireland this year was “warmer than average in most places” and May was “ a dry month for most with near average temperatures”, Met Éireann has said.
According to the latest bulletin, May was near average temperatures for the time of year with a mixed bag of showers and dry spells as the temperatures rose in the middle of the month. Between the 16th and the 20th there was rain, followed by “a few dry days” but the final week was more unsettled with Atlantic weather fronts bringing rain and some thundery showers.
Rainfall was however below average for most areas. The lowest rainfall, 24 percent of May averages, was recorded at Oak Park, Carlow. Just 14.1 mm fell there, making it the driest May recorded there since May 1991. The highest percentage of rainfall, 137 percent of May averages, amounting to 79.9mm, was at Malin Head, Co Donegal.
Air termperatures were variable across the country with average temperatures ranging from 10 degrees at Malin Head to 11.8 degrees at Shannon Airport in Co Clare.
It was sunniest in the southwest during May with 214.1 hours of sunshine recorded at Cork Airport, its sunniest since 2007.
Monthly average wind speeds were not significantly strong. They ranged from 4.9 knots (9.1 km/h) at Ballyhaise, Co Cavan and Mullingar, Co Westmeath to 11.3 knots (20.9 km/h) at Mace Head, Co Galway.
There were no days with gales, strong gales or storms reported this month. The month’s highest 10-minute mean wind speed was reported at both Roche’s Point, Co Cork and Malin Head, Co Donegal on the 27th and 26th respectively, with 29 knots (54km/h). The highest gust was 39 knots (72 km/h) reported at Malin Head, Co Donegal on the 26th.
Spring was warmer then average in most places with nearly all average air temperatures above their long-term averages. Diversions from average air temperatures ranged from -0.1 degrees at Markree Castle in Sligo, to a deviation of 0.8 degrees in Dublin’s Phoenix Park.
