We don’t really need Met Éireann to confirm that November 2016 was very cold (we were there for it), but they’ve done it all the same.

It was so cold in Co Donegal that Malin Head experienced its lowest air and grass temperature recorded in November since 1996 and 1980, with -0.6°C and -4.3°C respectively.

As well as being cold, November 2016 was dominated by high pressure weather, established during the latter part of October, which resulted in a drier than normal month, the forecasting body says.

In the latter part of the month, an extensive band of high pressure over Ireland was the main feature, bringing mostly dry and settled weather. However, nights were noticeably cold with frost and fog occurring widely.

Temperatures

All mean air temperatures across the country were below their average, with the majority of places reporting deviations from the long-term average of over -1°C. Deviations from normal ranged from -2.6°C at Fermoy (Moore Park), Co Cork, (its coldest November since 1984) to -0.5 °C at Malin Head in Donegal.

The lowest air minimum was -7.3°C, while the lowest grass minimum was -9.6°C

As would be usual for the time of year, the lowest temperatures (both air and grass) were recorded during the last 10 days of the month, with both the month’s lowest air and grass minimum reported at Markree, Co Sligo, on the 25 November.

The number of days with ground frost ranged from three at Sherkin Island, Co Cork, to 22 at Gurteen, Co Tipperary.

Rainfall

Rainfall totals were below their long-term average for the month, with most places reporting two-thirds or under of their average for November. The month’s lowest monthly rainfall total of 26.3 mm fell at Carlow (Oak Park).

The month’s wettest day of 23.9mm was recorded at Newport on the 11 November

Some stations in the southern half of the country reported their driest November since 2004, but Athenry, Co Galway, with a monthly total of 57.3mm (48% of LTA) had its driest November since 1983. The highest daily rainfall totals were recorded on the 8 November, 11 November and 17 November of the month, with the month’s wettest day of 23.9mm recorded at Newport on the 11 November.

Sunshine

It was the sunniest November in 10 years at the Casement Aerodrome, a military airfield to the southwest of Dublin. The airfield enjoyed a monthly sunshine total of 87 hours.

Cork Airport reported its sunniest November since 1962, with a monthly total of 116.5 hours, 8.8 hours of which was reported as the month’s highest daily sunshine on the fifth of the month. The number of dull days were from six days at a few stations to 11 days at Shannon Airport and Malin Head.

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Weekend weather: mild and dry days ahead