October weather exceptionally mild and wet as Cork Airport sees record rainfall

Cork Airport weather station had its highest October rainfall on record last month, while the rest of the country had a similarly wet but also very warm month.

A total of 307.2 millimetres of rain fell over the duration of October, the station’s third highest overall monthly total.

Cork Airport also had its wettest October day in 28 years last month. The station recorded 55.6 millimetres of rainfall on October 18th, its highest daily fall for the month since 1995.

The figures are included in Met Éireann’s weather summary for last month, published on Thursday. It says October 2023 was mild everywhere, especially during the first third of the month, with record maximum temperatures in places.

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“October was also very wet in the Midlands, South and East, especially during the second half of the month, with record high October rainfall in places,” the summary says.

“Saturated ground due to well above average rainfall over the previous three months along with some intense rainfall events during October led to several flooding episodes.”

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The majority of monthly rainfall totals were above their 1981-2010 long-term average. Percentage of monthly rainfall values ranged from 67 per cent at Finner, Co Donegal to 222 per cent at Roche’s Point, Co Cork and Cork Airport. Roches Point and Moore Park, also in Co Cork, had their wettest October in 19 years and 59 years respectively.

Both the Phoenix Park weather station with 131.4mm and Casement Aerodrome with 116.0mm had their wettest October since 2011 and Dublin Airport had its wettest October since 2013 with 126.1mm.

Meanwhile, all mean air temperatures across the country were above their long term average for the month. Mean temperatures for the month ranged from 10.4 degrees Celsius at Knock airport, Co Mayo to 12.8 degrees Celsius at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry.

The month’s highest temperature was reported on the 9th at Phoenix Park at 23.4 degrees Celsius. Nine stations broke their October maximum temperature records.

All available monthly sunshine totals were below their long-term average. Monthly mean wind speeds ranged from 8.7km/h at Moore Park to 32.6km/h at Malin Head, Co Donegal. Gales were reported on the 18th, 19th, 29th, 30th and 31st with up to strong gale winds reported on Friday 20th. All gales and strong gales were reported at Malin Head.

Both the month’s highest gust and 10-minute mean wind speed was reported at Malin Head on the 20th. The highest gust was 106km/h while the month’s highest 10-minute mean wind speed was 87km/h.