Mild and Dull. Wet in the East, drier in the West
February 2026 was a mild, dull, and wet month, with the highest rainfall in the East and South. The first two weeks of the month saw particularly high rainfall in the East, with most stations recording totals well above their 1991-2020 Long-Term Average (LTA). The heaviest rainfall occurred on Thursday 5th and Friday 6th and again between Wednesday 11th and Friday 13th. Overall, it was a mild month, with lower than average sunshine recorded, particularly in the East.
Key Figures:
- February 2026 rainfall for Ireland was wetter than normal with 119 % of the 1991-2020 LTA (126.0mm).
- February 2026 ranked 19th wettest February (or 68th driest).
- Dublin Airport experienced its wettest February on record, with 133.7 mm, 255% of the 1991-2020 LTA, while Phoenix Park, Co Dublin and Dunsany, Co Meath experienced their 2nd wettest February on record, behind February 2020.
- The national mean February temperature was 7.21 °C, making it the 13th mildest February since 1900.
- 7.21 °C is 2.08 °C above the 1961-1990 LTA and 1.21 °C above the 1991-2020 LTA.
February 2026 Climate Statement highlights
The first two thirds of February 2026 saw a continuation of the same pattern that dominated the second half of January. A south shifted jet stream with low pressure systems running into a cold block to the east and stalling close to or over Ireland. This pattern led to another very wet month for the South and particularly the East of the country, with the West and Northwest drier. There was particularly heavy rainfall in the East on Thursday 5th and Friday 6th and again between Wednesday 11th and Friday 13th, due to low pressure systems moving in from the west and stalling over or just to the south of the country with slow moving weather fronts moving up from the south. It was milder than average everywhere and duller than average, especially the East.
The final third of the month saw the cold block to the east push away allowing low pressure systems to progress further into Europe while the jet stream moved a bit further north. This brought a more typical Atlantic dominated winter weather pattern, with low pressure to the north and high pressure to the south. Several frontal rain bands crossed the country from west to east, interspersed with showers, sometimes thundery, with some dry periods in between.
Rainfall: Above average in most places, driest in the Northwest, wettest in the East
The majority of monthly rainfall totals were above their 1991-2020 Long-Term Average (LTA). Percentage of monthly rainfall values ranged from 68% (68.1 mm) at Markree, Co Sligo to 255% (133.7 mm) at Dublin Airport, Co Dublin (its wettest February on record (length 84 years)). Monthly rainfall totals ranged from 65.6 mm (105% of its LTA) at Oak Park, Co Carlow to 149.2 mm (236% of its LTA) at Dunsany, Co Meath (its 2nd wettest February on record and wettest since 2020 (length 20 years)). The highest daily rainfall total was 35.3 mm at Claremorris, Co Mayo on Thursday 12th (its highest daily fall for February on record (length 25 years)).
The number of rain days* ranged from 21 days at Markree, Co Sligo to 27 days at both Roche’s Point, Co Cork and Knock Airport, Co Mayo. The number of wet days* ranged from 15 days at Markree, Co Sligo to 23 days at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry. The number of very wet days* ranged from zero days at a few stations to 5 days at Newport, Co Mayo. Along with Dunsany, Phoenix Park, Co Dublin also had its 2nd wettest February on record after February 2020 with 132.6 mm (250% of its LTA).
Rainfall % of 1991 – 2020 Monthly Average for February 2026 (Provisional) Cumulative rainfall totals at Dublin Airport in February 2026. 1991-2020 LTA (09-09 values)
Temperature: Above average everywhere, warmest in the Southwest
All mean air temperatures across the country were above their LTA for the month. Deviations from mean air temperature ranged from 0.5 °C at Malin Head, Co Donegal and Belmullet, Co Mayo (6.6 °C, 7.2 °C mean temperature respectively) to 2.0 °C (7.8 °C mean temperature) at Moore Park, Co Cork. Mean temperatures for the month ranged from 5.7 °C (1.2 °C above its LTA) at Knock Airport, Co Mayo to 9.1 °C (1.7 °C above its LTA) at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry.
The month’s highest temperature was reported at Moore Park, Co Cork on Monday 23rd and Wednesday 25th with a temperature of 14.8 °C. The month’s lowest air minimum was recorded both on Saturday 14th at both Markree, Co Sligo and Athenry, Co Galway with -5.2 °C while the lowest grass minimum was -10.9 °C reported at Markree, Co Sligo on Saturday 14th.
All stations reported ground frost during the month. The number of days with ground frost ranged from 2 days at Sherkin Island, Co Cork to 11 days at both Mullingar, Co Westmeath and Athenry, Co Galway. More than half of stations reported air frost. The number of days with air frost ranged from zero days at Mace Head, Co Galway to 9 days at Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon.
Moore Park, Co Cork Temperature: Daily mean departure from LTA for February 2026 based on 09-09hr Max/Min value
Malin Head, Co Donegal Temperature: Daily mean departure from LTA for February 2026 based on 09-09hr Max/Min value
Sunshine: Below average, Dullest in the East
All available monthly sunshine totals were below their LTA. Percentage of monthly sunshine values ranged from 49% (36.7 hours) at Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin (its dullest February on record (length 62 years)) to 79% (55.0 hours) at Shannon Airport, Co Clare. Monthly sunshine totals ranged from 36.6 hours (No LTA comparison*) at Dublin Airport, Co Dublin (its dullest February since 1947) to 56.8 hours (No LTA comparison*) at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry.
The highest number of daily sunshine hours recorded this month was 8.3 hours at Cork Airport, Co Cork on Sunday 1st. The number of dull days* ranged from 11 days at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry to 15 days at Dublin Airport, Co Dublin.
Hours of Bright Sunshine observed at nine stations for each day of the month of February 2026, grouped by province relative to the highest number of hours possible by end of month (shaded box).
Wind: Strong gales reported at one station
Monthly mean wind speeds ranged from 6.7 knots (12.4 km/h) at Moore Park, Co Cork to 18.2 knots (33.7 km/h) at Malin Head, Co Donegal. Gales were reported on 9 days during the month with up to strong gale winds reported on Thursday 5th and Friday 6th, both at Malin Head, Co Donegal. The number of days with gales ranged from zero days at most stations to 7 days at Malin Head, Co Donegal. The number of days with up to strong gales ranged from zero days at all stations apart from 2 days at Malin Head, Co Donegal.
Both the month’s highest gust and 10-minute mean wind speed was reported at Malin Head, Co Donegal on Thursday 5th. The highest gust was 54 knots (100 km/h) while the month’s highest 10-minute mean wind speed was 46 knots (85 km/h).
Wind roses for February 2026, sustained 10-min mean and gust.
PDF report and charts are available here
Extreme values for February 2026 at synoptic stations.
Notes to Editor:
- *Issued by Met Éireann on Tuesday 3rd March 2026. This report is based on available preliminary data from 25 principal weather stations operated by Met Éireann. Synoptic station data is midnight to midnight UTC. Long-Term Averages (LTAs) and “average” refer to the period 1991-2020 unless stated.
- A rain day is a day on which 0.2 mm or more of rainfall is measured. A wet day is a day with 1.0 mm or more of rainfall. A dull day is a day with less than 0.5 hours of sunshine. A very wet day is a day with 10.0 mm or more of rainfall.
- Climatological dry periods – An absolute drought is a period of 15 or more consecutive days to none of which is credited 0.2 mm or more of precipitation. A partial drought is a period of at least 29 consecutive days, the mean daily rainfall of which does not exceed 0.2 mm. A dry spell is a period of 15 or more consecutive days to none of which is credited 1.0 mm or more of precipitation (i.e. daily tot < 1.0 mm).
- A heatwave occurs where there are 5 consecutive days or more with maximum temperature over 25°C (that is, a daily maximum screen air temperature > 25° C).
- The ‘Island of Ireland’ dataset is 125 years long and runs between 1900 and 2023. For this dataset the long term averages from the 1961-1990 reference period are used for comparison as is standard for long-term climate change assessments.
- Sunshine data is from the Autosol Network. LTAs for these sites are currently not used for comparison purposes.
- For more information or interview opportunities with a Met Éireann spokesperson, please contact us at enq@met.ie.