1995 was warmest year on record

BLAST year was the warmest year on record at most weather stations and August was the warmest month ever recorded, according to the Meteorological Service. Records began in most areas in the 1950s.

The lowest temperatures of the year were recorded in the last week of December, although the west basked in the sunniest December for over 30 years.

Kilkenny recorded the highest temperature of the year, 30.8 Celsius on August 2nd. Clones, Co Monaghan, had the lowest air temperature since 1982, -11 Celsius on December 27th. It also recorded the lowest ground temperature of the year, -13.4 Celsius on December 26th.

A brief Meteorological Service report for the year records there were temperatures of 30 Celsius on days between the end of June and mid August. June and August

"exceptionally sunny" and Head had the highest sunshine level, 16 hours on June 26th, its sunniest day for almost 25 years.

Rosslare recorded the highest gust of the year, 111 miles per hour, on October 24th, which was also the highest gust ever recorded at the station.

Rainfall totals for the year were near normal but it was the driest summer on record in many east coast having just half their normal rainfall at certain times. Most rain fell during October with Cork Airport having the highest daily fall of 55.8mm on October 16th.

The weather report for December shows that snow was widespread on the 6th, 21st and from the 24th to the 27th. Temperatures were below normal and it was the coldest December since lowest December temperatures, for between 10 and 17 years from Christmas Day to December 27th. However, Cork Airport had 7.2 hours of sunshine on the same date, December 27th, its sunniest December day on record.

The last month of the year was also the driest, with the percentage of normal rainfall down to just 25 per cent in Claremorris, and up to 99 per cent at Rosslare. It was the driest December for years in parts of the midlands and west, where there were between six and 12 wet days during the just over half the normal number.