Summer of four seasons' weather

Although it was the wettest August on the east coast for 16 years, and up to seven years in most other places, the sunshine between the showers brought monthly sunshine totals close to normal.

MET Éireann weather statistics show hugely-varied weather, from humidity and sunshine to heavy, thundery showers, tornados and ground frost.

Figures for June, July and August show that average temperatures were between half and one degree above normal almost everywhere. The warmest weather was during mid-June and early August, when maximum temperatures reached just over 25 degrees in parts of Munster and Leinster, while wind speeds were above normal everywhere at between seven and 14 m.p.h.

The highest temperature of the summer since 1990 was in Rosslare in mid-June when it hit 25.5 degrees.

It rained almost every day in August, with Cork and Kilkenny suffering twice the normal rainfall, while Belmullet, Co Mayo, had just over half its normal amount.

Usually during August there are between 10 and 16 wet days, but this year there were between 12 and 20, when 1 mm or more of rain fell.

Typically for August, according to MET Éireann the first half of the month was warmer than the second, and most weather stations recorded their highest sunshine levels on the 1st and 2nd of the month, while slight ground frost developed in late August.

"Although there was no period of very sunny weather, spells of sunshine between the showers on many days brought monthly sunshine totals close to normal at most stations," the weather service said.

Birr, Co Offaly, enjoyed the highest temperature of 27.3 degrees on August 2nd and Rosslare had the highest average monthly temperature of 16.6 degrees. The lowest temperature was in Mullingar, when it was a mere 5.6 degrees on the 21st, and Connacht regional airport at Knock had the lowest monthly average of 14.6 degrees.

Dublin Airport recorded the highest daily total for rain when 32.8 mm (about 1.3 inches) fell on August 18th, while Cork Airport had the highest monthly total with seven inches of rain. Yet Cork also had its highest daily sunshine level on record with 16 hours on June 15th.