Average rainfall, high temperatures and some of the brightest days in 20 years was how Met Éireann summed up 2014.

While rainfall was largely on a par with previous years, there were exceptions. Oakpark in Carlow had 131% of its average rainfall with a cumulative amount of 1,098.4mm over the year. Mullingar weather station had its wettest year since 2002 with 1,197.3mm, while Mace Head in Galway had just 88% of its annual average rainfall.

Storm

February saw Storm Darwin hit our shores and deliver three times the average rainfall for the month. At the other end of the scale, during September there was a period of absolute drought (15 or more consecutive days with less than 0.2mm of rain) which affected parts of the south, southwest and west.

January and February of 2014 brought very high rainfall for Cork farmer Dermot O’Leary, who records weather and climate conditions on his farm.

O’Leary’s farm experienced its second heaviest level of rainfall in 13 years. It was a better year for growth of his crops. He was not affected by this wet period as he did not work the land at that time of year.

September was the driest month on the O’Leary farm, with 26.1mm of rain recorded. October and November were the wettest with between 149.6mm and 155.1mm of rain. This period affected his crop growth the most.

According to Met Éireann, some weather stations recorded 2014 as the warmest year for almost 10 years. Phoenix Park reported an annual mean temperature of 10.5°C – its warmest year in seven years and equalling its second highest temperature since 1855.

The year’s highest temperature – 28.8°C – was recorded in Durrow, Co Laois on 28 July. The sunniest day of 2014 was recorded at Belmullet on 17 June with 15.8 hours – its most since 1995.

Evelyn Garland