Met Éireann reports coldest June in Ireland for almost a decade

Cork Airport recorded its driest June since 2018 with just 35.1mm of rain across the 30 days. File picture: Larry Cummins

Ireland had its coldest June in nearly a decade last month, with rainfall levels below their usual average.

Met Éireann’s latest climate statement also shows that it was a cooler month than usual, with an average temperature of 13.18C. The national forecaster noted that the average temperatures meant it was Ireland’s coldest June since 2015.

Nearly all mean air temperatures were below their long-term average (LTA) for the month. The month’s lowest air temperature was recorded on June 12 at Claremorris, where it fell to 1.8C, while the lowest ground temperature was in Mullingar in Westmeath where it dropped to -1.4C the day before.

By contrast, the Phoenix Park in Dublin hit a high of 26.6C on June 24.

Mean temperatures for the month ranged from 11.6C at Knock Airport, to 13.7C at both Shannon Airport and Roche's Point.

Despite falling to below freezing, there was no air frost reported in June, while less than half of stations reported ground frost. The stations at Mullingar and Mount Dillon in Roscommon both had four days of ground frost, the statement reads.

All monthly rainfall totals across the country were below their 1981-2010 LTA, with Cork Airport recording its driest June since 2018 with just 35.1mm of rain across the 30 days. Finner in Donegal, meanwhile, had monthly rainfall of 67.7mm.

Monthly rainfall totals ranged from 30.4mm at Dublin Airport to 80.7mm at Newport in Mayo. The highest daily rainfall total was 23.1mm at Valentia Observatory in Kerry on Thursday, June 13.

Gurteen in Tipperary saw the most sunshine on a single day last month when it had 15.9 hours on Wednesday, June 19. Overall, all sunshine totals were above the LTA, with ranges from 124.7 hours at Belmullet in Mayo to 181.3 hours at Cork Airport.

There were a low level of ‘dull days’, which the national forecaster defined as a day which had half an hour or less of sunshine. The number of dull days ranged from one day at a few stations to five days at both Valentia Observatory and Belmullet.

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