IT WAS A warm, dry and sunny month of May overall, but some parts enjoyed record-breaking sunshine.

Met Éireann has released its weather statement for May and it noted that for the first three weeks of May were dominated by high pressure, which typically brings settled weather conditions, dry spells, and sunny skies. 

However, low pressure broke through in the final week of May and brought with it rain-bands across the country.

May temperatures

All mean air temperatures were above their long-term averages (LTA) for May, ranging from +0.5 °C (11.2 °C, the month’s lowest mean temperature) at Dublin Airport to +2.3 °C (12.5 °C) at Knock Airport in Co Mayo.

Mean temperatures were as high as 14.2 °C (2.0 °C above its LTA) at Shannon Airport, Co Clare – its warmest May on record.

Along with Shannon Airport, four other weather stations had their warmest May on record.

These were Roches Point, Co Cork (13.3 °C), Athenry, Co Galway (12.8 °C), Cork Airport, Co Cork (13.2 °C) and Knock Airport, Co Mayo (12.5 °C).

Met Éireann Met Éireann

Six other stations in the Southwest and West had their warmest May since 2008.

Meanwhile, the month’s highest temperature was reported at Newport, Co Mayo on 13 May with a temperature of 24.8 °C.

Elsewhere, Sherkin Island in Co Cork recorded its highest maximum temperature for May with 22.6 °C on the first day of the month.

Sunshine

Meanwhile, Shannon Airport and Cork Airport had their sunniest calendar month on record, recording 288.8 and 290.4 hours of sun respectively.

Johnstown Castle in Co Wexford, with 298.8 hours of sun, and Gurteen in Co Tipperar, with 267.2 hours of sun, had their sunniest May on record.

All available sunshine totals were above their long-term average.

The highest number of daily sunshine hours recorded in May was 15.2 hours.

This was recorded at Malin Head in Co Donegal and also at Johnstown Castle  and Shannon Airport.

Met Éireann Met Éireann

The number of dull days – defined as a day with less than 30 minutes of sunshine – ranged from one day at Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin to five days at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry.

Rainfall

Elsewhere, nearly all rainfall totals were below their long-term average, with Finner in Co Donegal being the only exception.

Roches Point in Co Cork had its driest May on record, with only 19.9 mm of rain, while there was 79.2mm of rain at Finner.

Monthly rainfall totals were as high as 88.2 mm at Newport in Co Mayo, though this is below the LTA.

The highest daily rainfall total was 19.3 mm at Casement Aerodrome on Tuesday 20 May.

Met Éireann Met Éireann

The number of rain days – a day with 0.2 mm or more of rainfall – ranged from eight at a few stations to 13 days at Casement Aerodrome.

While the number of wet days – a day with 1 mm or more of rainfall – ranged from five at both Roches Point and Johnstown Castle to 11 days at the Phoenix Park.

Meanwhile, the number of very wet days – with 10 mm or more of rainfall – ranged from zero days at a few stations to four days at Newport.

Eleven stations had absolute droughts between 26 April and 22 May, lasting between 15 and 25 days.