Warmest year on record ‘by a significant margin’ with above average rainfall

The past year was the warmest on record by a large margin with above-average rainfall, according to the annual weather statement for 2023 from Met Éireann.

Met Éireann meteorologists said January 2023 started mild, wet and often windy. The second half of January was much drier and high pressure continued to dominate through February, which brought very mild and very dry conditions.

March, which had Storm Otto pass to the north of the island on Friday 17th, was unusually wet and dull, the wettest March on record with low pressure to the southwest dominating.

April was mild and changeable as Atlantic low-pressure weather systems vied with Scandinavian high pressure, resulting in some dry and some wet periods.

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May was warm, dry and calm as a blocking area of high pressure settled just to the north of Ireland. Storm Noa crossed the country on Wednesday 12th.

It was the warmest June on record. High pressure initially brought dry and sunny conditions, before a warm and humid air mass brought periods of intense thunderstorm activity.

During July Ireland lay on the cooler, northern side of the jet stream and Atlantic low-pressure systems dominated, bringing very wet conditions. The month was also cool and dull.

Low pressure continued to dominate through August. Two named storms, Antoni on Saturday 5th and Betty on Friday 18th, were the significant weather events of the month.

Heatwaves arrived in September with record maximum temperatures for the month recorded in several places. This was, however, followed by numerous heavy rainfall events including Storm Agnes on the 27th.

October brought further maximum monthly temperature records early, followed by record-high October rainfall in the south of the island. Storm Babet brought high rainfall totals between Wednesday 18th and Friday 20th.

November was mild overall with a cold finish. It was wet in the northwest, dry in the southeast and Storm Debi crossed the country on Monday 13th.

December started cold but the month was very mild overall with above-average rainfall. Storms Erin and Fergus crossed the country on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th. Storms Gerrit and Geraldine brought further wet and windy weather towards the end of the year.

Rainfall levels for the year were above average at most weather stations.

The majority of annual rainfall totals were above their 1981-2010 long-term average. The percentage of annual rainfall values ranged from 96 per cent at Finner, Co Donegal to 134 per cent at Roche’s Point, Co Cork.

The number of rain days ranged from 212 days at Phoenix Park, Co Dublin, to 283 days at Knock Airport, Co Mayo.

Temperatures were above average everywhere producing the warmest year on record by a large margin.

Overall, the 2023 average shaded air temperature in Ireland was provisionally 11.2 degrees, which is 1.65 degrees above the 1961-1990 long-term average. This makes 2023 the second consecutive warmest year on record. It was 0.38 degrees warmer than 2022, the previous warmest year.

It was sunniest in the east of the island. All available sunshine totals were above long-term averages. Annual sunshine totals ranged from 1162.1 hours at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry, to 1467.6 hours at Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford. The highest number of daily sunshine hours recorded this year was 16 hours at Malin Head, Co Donegal, on Tuesday May 30th, Friday Jun 9th and Thursday, Jun 15th.

Eleven named storms affected Ireland directly, storm-force winds were reported during Noa and Fergus

The full weather statement for 2023 is available from met.ie.

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