Weather averages don’t reflect farmers’ severe 2013 difficulties

The weather created difficulties for farmers in 2013 even though temperatures, rainfall and sunshine were average across the country.

However, a very cold March is likely to have played a major role in triggering the fodder crisis which lasted into the summer.

Overall, 2013 temperatures were average in Ireland, though March was three degrees below average in most parts, and the coldest month of the year (the Met Eireann weather station at Dublin Airport reported its coldest March since it opened in 1942).

July was the war mest month, with some stations in the west, parts of Dublin, the southwest and midlands reporting their warmest July in 63 years or more.

The highest temperature of 2013 was 31 degrees at Dooks, Co Kerry on July 19; the lowest was minus 7.6 at Markree, Co Sligo, on March 12.

Sunshine was average with June and July best (it was the sunniest July at Cork Airport since 1962).

Rainfall in 2013 were slight-ly below average nearly everywhere. November was the most relatively dry month, with as low as 27% of its normal rain in parts of the east, and some stations in the east and midlands reporting their driest November in 24 and 25 years,

Phoenix Park in Dublin had its driest November since

1945. December was the wettest month, with some stations in the south having their wettest December in 20 and 24 years. Last month, the Met Eireann weather station at Cork Airport reported 211.4mm of rain.

December temperatures were high, with some stations in the west, east and midlands re porting their war mest December since 1988.

December sunshine totals were below average everywhere; Cork Airport had the dullest December in 14 years.