Wettest summer in half a century

AS if anyone needed to be reminded, the country suffered its wettest summer for 50 years, according to figures released yesterday by the met service.

Sunshine hours of between 70 and 110 last month were more typical of October, the Met Éireann weather report said.

Weather stations throughout the country reported more than twice the average amount of rain, mainly the south and east, during the month of August.

In Dublin, the heaviest rainfalls in the 171 years since records began were recorded at the Phoenix Park weather station.

The highest rainfall of the summer was at Belderrig, Co Mayo, when 100mm fell on August 13.

A succession of moisture-laden low pressure systems rolling in from the Atlantic were the reason for the exceptionally heavy rainfalls, which led to severe flooding in many areas.

Carlow bore the brunt of the wet weather with a rainfall total 218% of its normal figures.

Wexford had 209% of its usual rain, while it was double for parts of Cork during the summer months.

The best summer spell occurred at the start of June, with all weather stations recording their sunniest day between June 5 to 7.

Weather in the west and north-west was marginally better, but temperatures there failed to rise above 20C on any day in August.

Minimum temperatures for the summer were above average.

Dublin Airport reported its highest monthly total, 190mm, and highest one-day fall since 1941 — 76.2mm on August 9.

A 60-minute fall of 38.4mm at Shannon Airport on August 6 was the highest for any month in the station’s 63-year history.

Over the west and north of the country, the temperature did not rise above 20C during the month and sunshine totals were exceptionally low, with between 20% and 40% less than normal at all stations.