Nearly all rainfall totals were below average for the month of May, Met Éireann figures show. They ranged from 24% of the Long Term Average (LTA) to 137%.
Oak Park in Co Carlow experienced its driest May since 1991, receiving just 14.1mm of rain all month. At the other extreme, Malin Head in Co Donegal received 79.9mm and Newport in Co Mayo received 112.5mm.
The highest daily rainfall was also recorded at Newport, Co Mayo, with 26.8mm on 30 May, its wettest May day since 2004. The number of rain days ranged from 10 days at both Oak Park, Co Carlow, and Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford, to 19 days at Malin Head, Co Donegal.
The number of wet days ranged from four days at both Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford, and Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin, to 14 days at Knock Airport, Co Mayo.
High pressure over Greenland in the first week of May drove a cool, dry, polar maritime air mass over the country. However, on 8 May, a low pressure system moved eastwards to the south of Ireland, bringing rain and thunder showers from 7 to 10 May.
High pressure developed over Ireland from 12 May and moved towards Scandinavia, introducing a southeasterly airflow over the country. This brought a dry and settled spell of weather up to 15 May and it gradually warmed up. The final week of the month was unsettled with Atlantic weather fronts bringing bands of rain or showers, some thundery.
Temperatures
Overall, temperatures were near normal. All the month's highest and lowest temperatures were recorded at Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon, with both lowest air and grass minimum reported on 5 May, with the minimum air temperature of -3.1 °C, while the lowest grass minimum was -7.3 °C.
The highest maximum was reported on 15 May with a temperature of 21.9 °C. All stations reported ground frost during the month.
Sunshine
It was sunniest in the southwest of the country, with Cork Airport reporting its sunniest May since 2007. The number of dull days ranged from three at both Shannon Airport, Co Clare, and Cork Airport to six at Gurteen, Co Tipperary.
Wind
Wind speeds were not particularly strong during the month. There were no days with gales, strong gales or storms reported.
The month's highest 10-minute mean wind speed was reported at both Roche's Point, Co Cork, and Malin Head, Co Donegal on 27 and 26, respectively, with 29 knots (54km/h). The highest gust was 39 knots (72 km/h) reported at Malin Head, Co Donegal, on 26 May.
The spring was wet and mild overall, but it was cooler and drier in May. Nearly all rainfall totals were above average; ranging from 182.1mm at Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin, to 441.7 mm at Newport, Co Mayo.
Cork Airport recorded its wettest spring day on record in 56 years, receiving 54.5mm of rain on 15 April. The number of rain days ranged from 45 days at Oak Park, Co Carlow, to 61 days at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry.
The number of wet days ranged from 31 days at a few stations to 49 days at Knock Airport, Co Mayo. The number of very wet days ranged from three days at Casement Aerodrome to 20 days at Newport, Co Mayo.
Temperature
Nearly all mean air temperatures were above average. The lowest temperatures were recorded on 5 April with the lowest air minimum reported at Moorepark, Co Cork with a temperature of -3.4 °C and the lowest grass minimum reported at Cork Airport with -8.6 °C. This is its lowest grass minimum for spring since 2001. The highest maximum was reported on 20 April at Oak Park with a temperature of 22.9 °C.
Sunshine
Percentage of sunshine values ranged from 77% of LTA to 111 %. The number of dull days ranged from 13 days at Shannon Airport, Co Clare, to 20 days at a few stations.
Wind
There were three named storms in the spring months; Gareth, Hannah and Freya. The number of days with up to strong gales ranged from zero days at a few stations to eight days at Mace Head, Co Galway. The highest gust was reported at Malin Head, Co Donegal, on 12 March with 70 knots (130km/h).
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Nearly all rainfall totals were below average for the month of May, Met Éireann figures show. They ranged from 24% of the Long Term Average (LTA) to 137%.
Oak Park in Co Carlow experienced its driest May since 1991, receiving just 14.1mm of rain all month. At the other extreme, Malin Head in Co Donegal received 79.9mm and Newport in Co Mayo received 112.5mm.
The highest daily rainfall was also recorded at Newport, Co Mayo, with 26.8mm on 30 May, its wettest May day since 2004. The number of rain days ranged from 10 days at both Oak Park, Co Carlow, and Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford, to 19 days at Malin Head, Co Donegal.
The number of wet days ranged from four days at both Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford, and Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin, to 14 days at Knock Airport, Co Mayo.
High pressure over Greenland in the first week of May drove a cool, dry, polar maritime air mass over the country. However, on 8 May, a low pressure system moved eastwards to the south of Ireland, bringing rain and thunder showers from 7 to 10 May.
High pressure developed over Ireland from 12 May and moved towards Scandinavia, introducing a southeasterly airflow over the country. This brought a dry and settled spell of weather up to 15 May and it gradually warmed up. The final week of the month was unsettled with Atlantic weather fronts bringing bands of rain or showers, some thundery.
Temperatures
Overall, temperatures were near normal. All the month's highest and lowest temperatures were recorded at Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon, with both lowest air and grass minimum reported on 5 May, with the minimum air temperature of -3.1 °C, while the lowest grass minimum was -7.3 °C.
The highest maximum was reported on 15 May with a temperature of 21.9 °C. All stations reported ground frost during the month.
Sunshine
It was sunniest in the southwest of the country, with Cork Airport reporting its sunniest May since 2007. The number of dull days ranged from three at both Shannon Airport, Co Clare, and Cork Airport to six at Gurteen, Co Tipperary.
Wind
Wind speeds were not particularly strong during the month. There were no days with gales, strong gales or storms reported.
The month's highest 10-minute mean wind speed was reported at both Roche's Point, Co Cork, and Malin Head, Co Donegal on 27 and 26, respectively, with 29 knots (54km/h). The highest gust was 39 knots (72 km/h) reported at Malin Head, Co Donegal, on 26 May.
The spring was wet and mild overall, but it was cooler and drier in May. Nearly all rainfall totals were above average; ranging from 182.1mm at Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin, to 441.7 mm at Newport, Co Mayo.
Cork Airport recorded its wettest spring day on record in 56 years, receiving 54.5mm of rain on 15 April. The number of rain days ranged from 45 days at Oak Park, Co Carlow, to 61 days at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry.
The number of wet days ranged from 31 days at a few stations to 49 days at Knock Airport, Co Mayo. The number of very wet days ranged from three days at Casement Aerodrome to 20 days at Newport, Co Mayo.
Temperature
Nearly all mean air temperatures were above average. The lowest temperatures were recorded on 5 April with the lowest air minimum reported at Moorepark, Co Cork with a temperature of -3.4 °C and the lowest grass minimum reported at Cork Airport with -8.6 °C. This is its lowest grass minimum for spring since 2001. The highest maximum was reported on 20 April at Oak Park with a temperature of 22.9 °C.
Sunshine
Percentage of sunshine values ranged from 77% of LTA to 111 %. The number of dull days ranged from 13 days at Shannon Airport, Co Clare, to 20 days at a few stations.
Wind
There were three named storms in the spring months; Gareth, Hannah and Freya. The number of days with up to strong gales ranged from zero days at a few stations to eight days at Mace Head, Co Galway. The highest gust was reported at Malin Head, Co Donegal, on 12 March with 70 knots (130km/h).
Read more
Watch: vegetable growers turn on the irrigation systems
Watch: new Irish Farmers Journal live weather page launched
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