Provisional data from Met Éireann will suggest that last will be in the “top ten wettest” Marches on record.
Climate figures, due to be published by Met Éireann tomorrow, will confirm that while last month was not quite as wet as March 2023, some areas had rainfall over 200% above normal.
Met Éireann Climatologist Paul Moore said the country saw “145% of its long-term average rainfall” last month.
Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, he said that most of the rain was concentrated in “the south and east”.
Mr Moore said that “last March was actually the wettest March on record” but the difference between this year and last year is that “February 2023 was a very dry month, whereas February this year was also very wet”.
“We’re coming off a wet winter into a wet beginning of spring as well,” he said.
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“Dublin Airport had 219% of its long-term average for March, Phoenix Park 211% and Valentia Observatory in Kerry had 193% of its long-term average,” Mr Moore said.
“That’s the wettest March there (in Kerry) since 1963,” he added.
He said there had been “above-average rainfall” since June 2023.
Mr Moore also said that sunshine values have “been below average for March, so there has been less drying than there normally be”.
However, Mr Moore said the month experienced “above average temperatures”.
“All stations had above average long-term average temperatures,” he said, adding that it may have felt cold as the “sunshine wasn’t that high,” he said.
Mr Moore said he “wouldn’t say it’s a pattern for climate change for spring”.
“But what we have seen over the last years is that the sea surface temperatures over the North Atlantic have been at record high levels now for over a year, so this adds a lot more moisture into the atmosphere and a lot more warmth as well,” he added.
Due to the wet weather, some farmers are facing fodder shortages.
Last week, IFA Francie Gorman called for a coordinated response led by the Government to assist farmers.
