Recent Springs in Ireland:
2016: Mainly dry and cool. Nearly all Long-Term Average (LTA) rainfall values and air temperatures were below average. Storm Jake and Storm Katie were both active in March.
2017: Breezy and changeable. All Mean air temperatures were above their LTA, rainfall totals were below and most available sunshine totals were around normal.
2018: Very cold start, very warm finish. Rainfall totals and all available sunshine totals varied while the majority of air temperatures were below their LTA.
2019: Wet and mild overall, cooler and drier May. Rainfall totals were above average nearly everywhere, air temperatures were above and sunshine totals varied.
2020: Very dry, sunny everywhere and warm for most. All rainfall totals were below average. Most air temperatures and all available sunshine totals were above their LTA.
2021: Cool and sunny, dry March and April, wet May. Most rainfall totals and all air temperatures were below average. Sunshine totals were above their LTA.
Spring 2022 (March, April, May)
Dry and mild overall, sunny in March and April
Overall spring 2022 was dry and mild with all three months having mostly above average temperatures and below average rainfall. March and April were very sunny months, but May was rather dull. High pressure to the east over mainland Europe kept Ireland on the warmer southern side of the jetstream, with the airflow between southerly and easterly through most of March, the driest of the spring months. March finished cool across northern Europe as the jetstream shifted to the south and high pressure built to the northwest of Ireland. High pressure, mostly to the north of Ireland, continued to influence the weather through April. However, there was several periods where low pressure encroached from the west bringing frontal rain or showers. High pressure to the north led to an easterly airflow for the final third of April. May was a warm, relatively dry month overall, with a lot of cloud. The airflow was mostly between southerly and westerly, coming off the Atlantic where sea surface temperatures were above normal. High pressure to the south and east of Ireland dominated at times, interspersed with periods where low pressure to the west and northwest brought bands of rain or showers across the country.
Rainfall: Below average everywhere
All seasonal rainfall totals across the country were below their 1981-2010 Long-Term Average (LTA) for spring. Percentage of seasonal rainfall values ranged from 63% (seasonal rainfall total of 162.5 mm) at Cork Airport, Co Cork (its driest spring since 2000) to 91% (seasonal rainfall total of 146.6 mm) at Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin. Seasonal rainfall totals ranged from 122.2 mm (74% of its LTA) at Dublin Airport, Co Dublin to 258.8 mm (78% of its LTA) at Newport, Co Mayo. The highest daily rainfall total was 41.5 mm at Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford on Wednesday 9th March (its highest daily fall for spring on record, record length 81 years). The number of rain days ranged from 36 days at Shannon Airport, Co Clare to 59 days at Malin Head, Co Donegal. The number of wet days ranged from 23 days at Sherkin Island, Co Cork to 44 days at both Markree, Co Sligo and Finner, Co Donegal. The number of very wet days ranged from 2 days at Shannon Airport, Co Clare to 8 days at both Newport, Co Mayo and Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry. Nineteen stations had dry spells during spring lasting between 15 and 21 days, with Sherkin Island, Co Cork having two dry spells. Six stations had absolute droughts between 18th March and 2nd April lasting between 15 and 16 days. These were Shannon Airport, Co Clare, Athenry, Co Galway, Mace Head, Co Galway, Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry, Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon and Markree, Co Sligo. Roches Point, Co Cork had its driest spring on record with 135.3 mm (68% of its LTA) (record length 17 years).
Provisional monthly gridded 2022 rainfall (%) for Ireland on a monthly basis.
Temperature: Above average everywhere, warmest in the West and Southwest
All mean air temperatures across the country were above their LTA for the season. Deviations from mean air temperature ranged from 0.2 °C (8.7 °C , 8.9 °C mean temperature) at Dublin Airport, Co Dublin and Markree, Co Sligo respectively to 1.2 °C (9.8 °C mean temperature) at Phoenix Park, Co Dublin. Mean temperatures for the season ranged from 8.7 °C (0.2 °C above its LTA) at Dublin Airport, Co Dublin to 10.2 °C at Shannon Airport, Co Clare, Sherkin Island, Co Cork, Newport, Co Mayo and Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry (0.5°C, 0.4°C, 0.9°C and 0.6°C above their LTA respectively). The season’s highest temperature was reported at Shannon Airport, Co Clare on Saturday 28th May with a temperature of 21.0 °C. The season’s lowest air and grass minimum was recorded at Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon with the lowest air temperature reported on Sunday 6th March with -5.7 °C while the lowest grass minimum was -11.9 °C reported on Thursday 31st March. All stations reported ground frost during the season. The number of days with ground frost ranged from 15 days at Belmullet, Co Mayo to 58 days at Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon. More than half of stations reported air frost. The number of days with air frost ranged from zero days at a few stations to 29 days at Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon.
Spring mean temperature difference from 1981-2010 long term average (LTA) at synoptic stations
Sunshine: Above average, sunny in March and April, dull in May
All available sunshine totals were above their LTA for the season. Percentage of seasonal sunshine values ranged from 120% (seasonal sunshine total of 522.3 hours) at Shannon Airport, Co Clare to 126% (the season’s highest seasonal sunshine total of 555.6 hours) at Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin. Seasonal sunshine totals were lowest at Belmullet, Co Mayo with 497.5 hours (No LTA comparison*). The highest number of daily sunshine hours recorded this season was 15.2 hours at Cork Airport, Co Cork on Saturday 28th May. The number of dull days ranged from 11 days at Shannon Airport, Co Clare to 16 days at both Gurteen, Co Tipperary and Belmullet, Co Mayo.
Wind: Gales and strong gales reported, no named storms
Seasonal mean wind speeds ranged from 6.0 knots (11.1 km/h) at Ballyhaise, Co Cavan to 13.7 knots (25.4 km/h) at Malin Head, Co Donegal. Gales were reported on 9 days during the season with up to strong gale winds reported on Tuesday 8th March and Wednesday 6th April. The number of days with gales ranged from zero days at a few stations to 8 days at Malin Head, Co Donegal. The number of days with up to strong gales ranged from zero at most stations to 1 day at a few stations. The season’s highest gust was reported at both Mace Head, Co Galway and Newport, Co Mayo, both on Wednesday 6th April with 59 knots (109 km/h). The highest 10-minute wind speed was 45 knots (83 km/h) reported at Mace Head, Co Galway on Wednesday 6th April.
The full report is available here
Extreme values for spring 2022 at synoptic stations
Recent Mays in Ireland:
- 2016: Changeable with some clear spells. Most 1981-2010 Long-Term Average (LTA) rainfall values were below and all stations reported average or above average mean temperatures.
- 2017: Warm, dry and sunny. Most rainfall totals were below average. Mean air temperatures were above everywhere and most available sunshine totals were above their LTA.
- 2018: Mostly warm, dry and sunny. Nearly all rainfall totals were below their LTA. All mean temperatures and all available sunshine totals were above their LTA.
- 2019: Mostly dry with near average temperatures. Rainfall totals were nearly all below their LTA. Mean temperatures were variable and it was sunniest in the Southwest.
- 2020: Very dry, warm and sunny. Rainfall totals were below average but storm Arthur brought widespread rain late in the month. All mean temperatures and all available sunshine totals were above their LTA.
- 2021: Cool and wet everywhere. All rainfall and sunshine totals were above their LTA and all mean temperatures were below their LTA.
May 2022
Very mild, dry in the South, wet in the Northwest
May was a warm, relatively dry month overall, with the airflow mostly between southerly and westerly. High pressure to the south and east of Ireland dominated at times, interspersed with periods where low pressure to the west and northwest brought bands of rain or showers across the country. The first week saw frontal rain in the South and East at first, followed by drier conditions with some showers, before widespread frontal rain crossed the country from the northwest on the 6th. The second week saw high pressure to the east pulling away, allowing low pressure to the northwest to take control, steering bands of frontal rain or showers over the country between the 9th and 12th in a westerly airflow, with the heaviest rain in the Northwest. The week finished dry with high pressure building to the south of Ireland. The third week saw Atlantic low pressure encroaching from the west and steering bands of frontal rain or showers across the country in a southerly airflow. There was heavy rain in the East on the 17th, with heavy thundery showers in the Midlands and North on the 16th and in the Southwest on the 17th. The fourth week saw low pressure to the north steering mostly weak weather fronts across the country from the west at times, interspersed with dry periods. High pressure, which built from the south towards the end of the fourth week, brought mainly dry, warm and sunny conditions, before pulling away to the northwest, allowing a cooler, showery northerly airflow to take hold for the final few days of the month.
Rainfall: Below average in the South, above average in the Northwest
Percentage of Long-Term Average (LTA) rainfall values were variable across the country. Percentage of monthly rainfall values ranged from 43% (monthly rainfall total of 35.7 mm) at Cork Airport to 128% (monthly rainfall total of 74.8 mm) at Malin Head, Co Donegal. Monthly rainfall totals ranged from 32.6 mm (44% of its LTA) at Sherkin Island, Co Cork (its driest May since 1991) to 107.0 mm (113% of its LTA) at Newport, Co Mayo. The highest daily rainfall total was 21.8 mm at Claremorris, Co Mayo on Friday 6th. The number of rain days ranged from 14 days at Roche’s Point, Co Cork to 22 days at a few stations. The number of wet days ranged from 8 days at Sherkin Island, Co Cork to 20 days at Malin Head, Co Donegal. The number of very wet days ranged from zero days at Oak Park, Co Carlow to 4 days at both Newport, Co Mayo and Knock Airport, Co Mayo. Sherkin Island, Co Cork had a dry spell between Thu 21st April to Sun 8th May (length 18 days), its second dry spell of 2022, the first was from Wed 16th Mar to Mon 4th Apr (length 20 days).
Temperature: Significantly above average everywhere, especially warm at night
All mean air temperatures across the country were above their 1981-2010 Long-Term Average (LTA) for the month. Deviations from mean air temperature ranged from 0.8 °C (12.5 °C mean temperature) at Sherkin Island, Co Cork to 2.1 °C (12.9 °C mean temperature) at Phoenix Park, Co Dublin. Mean temperatures for the month ranged from 11.3 °C (1.3 °C above its LTA) at Knock Airport, Co Mayo to 13.1 °C (1.1 °C above its LTA) at Shannon Airport, Co Clare. The month’s highest temperature was reported at Shannon Airport, Co Clare on Saturday 28th with a temperature of 21.0 °C. The month’s lowest air minimum was recorded on Tuesday 31st at Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon with 1.4 °C while the lowest grass minimum was -1.9 °C reported at Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin on Sunday 29th May. There was no air frost reported this month. Less than half of stations reported ground frost. The number of days with ground frost ranged from zero days at a few stations to 6 days at Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon. Three stations had their warmest May on record. These were Phoenix Park, Co Dublin with a mean temperature of 12.9 °C (2.1 °C above its LTA) (record length 123 years), Dunsany, Co Meath with 12.2 °C (1.7 °C above its LTA) (record length 29 years) and Athenry, Co Galway with 12.3 °C (0.9 °C above its LTA) (record length 12 years). Malin Head, Co Donegal had its joint warmest May on record with 11.9 °C (1.6 °C above its LTA), tying with 2008 (record length 67 years). Dublin Airport, Co Dublin had its warmest May since 1992 and eleven other stations had their warmest May since 2008. (Mean temperatures based on 00-00 UTC observations)
Sunshine: Below average
All available monthly sunshine totals were below their Long-Term Average (LTA). Percentage of monthly sunshine values ranged from 95% (monthly sunshine total of 176.6 hours) at Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin to 97% (monthly sunshine total of 175.8 hours) at Shannon Airport, Co Clare. Monthly sunshine totals ranged from 139.1 hours (No LTA comparison*) at Belmullet, Co Mayo to 177.4 hours (No LTA comparison*) at Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford. The highest number of daily sunshine hours recorded this month was 15.2 hours at Cork Airport on Saturday 28th. The number of dull days ranged from 2 days at a few stations to 5 days at both Malin Head, Co Donegal and Belmullet, Co Mayo.
Wind: Not significantly strong
Monthly mean wind speeds ranged from 5.9 knots (10.9 km/h) at Moore Park, Co Cork to 14.6 knots (27.0 km/h) at Mace Head, Co Galway. There were no days with gales, strong gales or storms reported this month. Both the month’s highest gust and 10-minute mean wind speed was reported at Belmullet, Co Mayo. The highest gust was on Tuesday 17th with 47 knots (87 km/h) while the month’s highest 10-minute mean wind speed was 33 knots (61 km/h) on vari-ous dates.
Extreme values at synoptic stations
The full report is available here
Total Monthly Rainfall (mm) for May 2022 (Provisional)
Rainfall % of 1981 – 2021 Monthly Average for May 2022 (Provisional)