A fantastic June weather wise was confirmed today by Met Eireann with both sunshine and temperatures well above average in many counties.
Mean temperatures were all above average with differences from average up to 1.5°C at Knock Airport. Mean temperatures ranged from 13.4°C at Malin Head to 15.2°C at Shannon Airport. The majority of highest maxima were recorded between the 16th and 18th during the mid-month period of high pressure, with the highest maximum of 26.0°C recorded at Fermoy (Moore Park) on the 18th, its highest temperature during June since 1995 (19 years).
According to Met Eireann most highest maxima across the country were the highest in at least five to 10 years. The month’s lowest minimum temperatures were nearly all recorded on the 5th or 6th with the month’s lowest temperature of 1.7°C recorded at Claremorris on the 5th. A few stations in the Southwest reported their lowest June temperatures in 13 to 28 years.
The majority of stations reported below average rainfall, with the exception of a few stations in the Midlands and South. Most staions with below average rainfall attributed their low monthly totals to a period of near dry conditions between the 11th and 24th.
Percentage of LTA rainfall values were lowest at Dublin (Phoenix Park) with 42%, reporting its lowest June rainfall in eight years with 29.6 mm. A few other stations in the East, Southwest and Southeast reported LTAs of around 50% and also their driest June in eight years.
However Met Eireann note that some stations in the South and Midlands reported above average rainfall totals with percentage of LTA values of up to 131% at Fermoy (Moore Park), Co. Cork. Heavy showers between the 6th and the 10th and on the 26th, accounted for a third or more of above average rainfall totals, with the month’s wettest day at Sherkin Island on the 6th reporting 34.8 mm, over half the stations monthly total of 60.0 mm.
Sunshine totals were near or above average with percentage of LTA values ranging from 93% at Knock Airport to 166% at Valentia Observatory, which reported its sunniest June in 74 years (1940) with 265.0 hours of sunshine.
Met Eireann says the month’s sunniest day was recorded at Belmullet on the 17th with 15.8 hours, its sunniest June day since 1995 (19 years). The number of dull days (less than 0.5 hours of sunshine) ranged from one at Dublin Airport, equalling its lowest number of dull days since 1986 (28 years) to five at Casement Aerodrome.