Met Éireann has said that last month was among the wettest Marches on record with some areas reporting rainfall over 200% above normal levels.
In its Weather Statement for March 2024, the national meteorological service said that the majority of monthly rainfall totals at weather stations were above their 1981-2010 long-term average (LTA).
March 2024 was dominated by Atlantic low pressure systems with a southerly displaced jet stream bringing the bulk of the rain to the midlands, south and east.
The highest monthly rainfall total of 239.8mm was recorded at Valentia Observatory, Co. Kerry (194% of its LTA), which was the station’s wettest March since 1963.
The lowest monthly rainfall total of 82.4mm occurred at Finner, Co. Donegal.
The highest daily rainfall total was 45.3 mm at Dublin Airport on Thursday, March 1. This was the location’s highest daily fall for March on record (82 years).
The number of rain days ranged from 20 days at Belmullet, Co. Mayo to 29 days at both Shannon Airport, Co. Clare and Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan.
The number of very wet days, with more than 10mm, ranged from one day at Dublin Airport to 8 days at both Valentia Observatory, Co. Kerry and Cork Airport, Co. Cork.
Met Éireann
Met Éireann said that temperatures in March 2024 were above average everywhere and highest in the southwest.
All mean air temperatures across the country were above their LTA for the month.
Mean temperatures for the month ranged from 6.4°C at Knock Airport, Co. Mayo (0.7 ° above its LTA) to 9.1° at Sherkin Island, Co Cork (0.7 °C above its LTA).
The month’s highest and lowest temperatures were recorded at Mount Dillon, Co. Roscommon with both the lowest air and grass minimum temperatures reported on Friday March, 29.
The minimum air temperature was -2.7 °, while the lowest grass minimum was -7.1 °.
The high maximum was reported on Sunday, March 31 with a temperature of 16.3 °.
Met Éireann said that more than half of weather stations reported ground frost during the month.
The number of days with ground frost ranged from zero days at a few stations to 18 days at Mullingar, Co. Westmeath.
The highest number of daily sunshine hours recorded in March was 10.6 hours at Johnstown Castle, Co. Wexford on Saturday, March 23, its highest daily sunshine for March since 2000.
Monthly mean wind speeds ranged from 12.8km/h at Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan to 31.5km/h) at Malin Head, Co. Donegal.
Gales were reported on 10 days during the month with up to strong gale winds reported on March 5 and 27.
The month’s highest gust was reported at Newport, Co Mayo on Saturday, March 23 with 105km/h.