Mild December and February, cool January. Wet in the Midlands, South and East
Winter 2025/26 was wet in the Midlands South and East due to a south shifted jet stream and a succession of slow-moving low pressure systems that brought repeated frontal rainbands from the south, while the Northwest experienced drier than average conditions. It was mild everywhere, seeing above average temperatures for the sixth consecutive season. Storm Bram on 9th December brought strong gales and the highest air temperature for the season of 17.2°C at Phoenix Park, Co Dublin. Storm Chandra on 27th January resulted in widespread heavy rainfall and storm force winds at one station, Malin Head, Co Donegal.
Key figures:
- The national mean winter 2025/26 temperature (using the Island of Ireland dataset*) was 6.58 °C, 1.21 °C above the 1961-1990 LTA and 0.58 °C above the 1991-2020 LTA.
- Winter 2025/26 is the 20th mildest winter since 1900.
- The national gridded average rainfall for Winter 2025/26 was wetter than normal with 113 % of the 1991-2020 LTA (428.2mm) ranking the 17th wettest winter (or 69th driest).
- Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford recorded its wettest winter since 2016 (and 2nd wettest since records began there 84 years ago), and the highest daily rainfall of the season was recorded there on Sunday 14th December with 51.1 mm.
Winter Climate Statement highlights
Winter 2025/26 was mild everywhere, making it the sixth consecutive season with above average temperatures. Both December and February were warmer than average, while January was cooler than average. A south shifted jet stream brought a wet winter to the Midlands South and East, while the Northwest escaped with drier than average conditions.
December was mixed with Atlantic low pressure dominating the first two thirds, bringing mild, wet and sometimes windy conditions. The final third was cool, dry and less windy when high pressure to the north became established. This led into a cold and mostly dry beginning to January with spells of crisp winter sunshine and widespread frost at night before Low pressure took control towards the end of the first week.
For the second half of January and first two thirds of February a strong south shifted North Atlantic jet stream directed a succession of low pressure systems toward the country from the southwest. At the same time, a cold blocking high pressure system over northern and eastern Europe caused these systems to slow or stall to the southwest of Ireland. This pattern resulted in repeated frontal rainbands moving up from the south, giving prolonged spells of heavy rain, concentrated over the South and East of the country. The season finished with a return to more typical Atlantic westerlies.
Rainfall: Above average at most stations, wettest in the East and South
The majority of seasonal rainfall totals were above their 1991-2020 Long-Term Average (LTA). Percentage of seasonal rainfall values ranged from 79% (279.8 mm) at Finner, Co Donegal to 174% (seasonal rainfall total of 509.1 mm) at Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford (its wettest winter since 2016 and 2nd wettest since records began in 1942). Seasonal rainfall totals ranged from 266.4 mm (87% of its LTA) at Shannon Airport, Co Clare to 532.0 mm (106% of its LTA) at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry. The highest daily rainfall total was 51.1 mm at Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford on Sunday 14th December (its 2nd highest daily fall for winter on record).
The number of rain days* ranged from 61 days at both Dublin Airport, Co Dublin and Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin to 77 days at Newport, Co Mayo. The number of wet days* ranged from 48 days at Dublin Airport to 67 days at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry. The number of very wet days* ranged from 3 days at Shannon Airport, Co Clare to 20 days at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry. There were two dry spells* during winter, at Dublin Airport and Phoenix Park, Co Dublin between Sunday 21st December and Tuesday 6th January lasting between 15 and 17 days.
Along with Johnstown Castle, five other stations, mostly in the East, had their wettest winter since 2016. These were Dublin Airport with 319.8 mm (172% of its LTA), Phoenix Park with 324.5 mm (172% of its LTA), Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin with 280.6 mm (143% of its LTA), Mullingar, Co Westmeath with 334.8 mm (125% of its LTA) and Dunsany, Co Meath with 309.8 mm (138% of its LTA).
Seasonal cumulative rainfall totals at Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford (left) and Finner, Co Donegal (right) in winter 2025/26, relative to seasonal long term average
Temperature: Above average everywhere
All mean air temperatures across the country were above their LTA for the season. Deviations from mean air temperature ranged from 0.1 °C at Belmullet, Co Mayo and Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry (6.9 °C, 7.8 °C mean temperature respectively) to 1.0 °C (6.5 °C mean temperature) at Phoenix Park, Co Dublin. Mean temperatures for the season ranged from 5.1 °C at Knock Airport, Co Mayo (0.6 °C above its LTA) to 8.2 °C at Sherkin Island, Co Cork (0.3 °C above its LTA). The season’s highest temperature was reported at Phoenix Park on Tuesday 9th December (during storm Bram) with a temperature of 17.2 °C (its highest maximum for winter since 1998). The season’s lowest air minimum was recorded on Sunday 4th January at Athenry, Co Galway with -5.3 °C while the lowest grass minimum was -10.9 °C reported at Markree, Co Sligo on Saturday 14th February.
All stations reported air and ground frost during the season. The number of days with ground frost ranged from 19 days at both Mace Head, Co Galway and Sherkin Island, Co Cork to 52 days at Markree, Co Sligo. The number of days with air frost ranged from 1 day at a few stations to 27 days at Moore Park, Co Cork. Along with Phoenix Park, two other stations, Dublin Airport (16.3 °C) and Ballyhaise, Co Cavan (15.6 °C) had their highest maximum for winter since 1998 on Tuesday 9th December and Shannon Airport, Co Clare (15.7 °C) had its highest maximum for winter since 1949, also on Tuesday 9th December (during storm Bram).
Sherkin Island, Co Cork Temperature: Daily mean departure from LTA for winter 2025/26 based on 09-09hr Max/Min values
Dublin Airport, Co Dublin Temperature: Daily mean departure from LTA for winter 2025/26 based on 09-09hr Max/Min values
Sunshine: Dull in the East and South, otherwise near average
Percentage of LTA sunshine values were variable (where available) across the country. Percentage of seasonal sunshine values ranged from 89% (156.6 hours) at Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin to 100% (167.5 hours) at Shannon Airport, Co Clare. Seasonal sunshine totals ranged from 128.6 hours (No LTA comparison*) at Belmullet, Co Mayo to 182.0 hours (No LTA comparison*) at Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford. The highest number of daily sunshine hours recorded this season was 8.3 hours at Cork Airport, Co Cork on Sunday 1st February. The number of dull days* ranged from 31 days at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry to 44 days at Shannon Airport, Co Clare. Dublin Airport with 158.9 hours had its dullest winter since 1994.
Wind: Storm force winds reported during storm Chandra and strong gales reported during storm Bram
Seasonal mean wind speeds ranged from 5.8 knots (10.7 km/h) at Moore Park, Co Cork to 17.4 knots (32.2 km/h) at Malin Head, Co Donegal. Gales were reported on the numerous days with strong gales reported on the 9th December during storm Bram, 25th January, 27th January during storm Chandra, 5th February and 6th February. Storm force winds were reported at one station during the season, Malin Head, Co Donegal on Tuesday 27th January during storm Chandra. The number of days with gales ranged from zero days at a few stations to 24 days at Malin Head, Co Donegal. The number of days with up to strong gales ranged from zero at most stations to 5 days at Malin Head, Co Donegal. Both the season’s highest gust and 10-minute mean wind speed was reported at Malin Head, Co Donegal on Tuesday 27th January. The highest gust was 70 knots (130 km/h) while the season’s highest 10-minute mean wind speed was 56 knots (104 km/h). Four stations in the West had their lowest mean wind for winter since 2011.
Airmass Analysis chart 06 UTC 09 December 2025 (left): Storm Bram moved north just to the west of Ireland steering up a very warm tropical maritime airmass. Airmass Analysis chart 12 UTC 27 January 2026 (right): Storm Chandra moved north along the west of Ireland steering up active weather fronts.
PDF report and charts are available here (choose Winter on drop down menu for month).
Winter 2025/26 extreme values at synoptic stations.
Notes to Editor:
- *Issued by Met Éireann on Wednesday 4th 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.