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Autumn 2018 has been marked by relatively mild and settled weather, according to the most recent quarterly Met Éireann weather report.
Storms Ali, Callum and Diana brought strong gusts, with wind speeds of up to 115 km/h recorded during Storm Ali at Mace Head, Co Galway on 19 September.
Strongest gusts
Ali also recorded the strongest gusts, with 146 km/h recorded in the same place on the same date.
Storm Ali will also remain in the minds of many farmers as being guilty of cancelling this year’s National Ploughing Championships at short notice, with an additional day added on to satisfy punters.
Barring stormy weather, farmers enjoyed a relatively mild back-end, after what had been a trying year of difficult weather conditions.
Many farmers were able to extend their grazing season and the majority of seasonal rainfall was below their long-term averages in September and October.
However, rainfall was very much dependent on location.
Just three very wet days were recorded in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, in comparison with 17 very wet days in Newport, Co Mayo.
Overall, the report indicated that rain levels have intensified as winter has set in.
November saw above-average rainfall for most of the country, with the west and northwest particularly hard hit.
The last part of November and beginning of December were wet and this is reflected in the rainfall figures.
Totals for the past two weeks are above normal almost everywhere. They were over twice the average values across the southern half of the country.
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