Weather Summaries

The Weather of December 2011

Wet in places; dull and windy everywhere
Rainfall for the month was above average along the Atlantic coast and in the northwest, with most stations in the west reporting their wettest December in 5 years and an above normal number of wetdays (days with 1mmor more) recorded. Malin Head had the highest rainfall relative to normal in December, with 179 % of its long-term average and its wettest December since 1999 (12 years). The rest of Ireland reported a dry month with below average rainfall. Casement Aerodrome received only 72% of its monthly rainfall total and recorded its driest December since 2004 (7 years). The majority of the month’s highest daily falls were on the 12th and 19th, but were relatively small, with some stations reporting it as their lowest December daily rainfall for a number of years. At Dublin Airport and Mullingar, it was the lowest daily rainfall at the sites in December since 1963 (48 years) and 1970 (41 years), respectively. Mean temperatures for December were above average or average for the time of year. Mean maximum temperatures for the month were above normal everywhere, but almost all stations reported their maximum temperatures, mostly recorded on the 25th and 26th, were not as high as December 2007. Minimum air temperatures were warmer than normal almost everywhere, leading to a below average number of air frosts recorded, of between zero and eight. Malin Head and Belmullet both reported that their minimum air temperature’s for December of 2.0°C and 1.6°C, respectively, were the warmest minimum temperatures recorded since 1988 (23 years). Sunshine during December was below average nearly everywhere, with Casement Aerodrome recording 26.2 hours of sunshine and the dullest December on record since the station opened in 1964 (47 years). Other stations across the country reported it was their dullest December for between six and 20 years.

Recent weather summaries - (PDF Format)