Met Éireann: Coldest September in 14 years
Most of the country suffered the coldest September in 14 years, forecasters revealed today.
In its monthly summary Met Éireann said the temperature never rose above 20 Celsius anywhere – the first such occurrence in more than 30 years.
Average monthly air temperatures were around half a degree below normal at some southern weather stations and it was the coolest September since 1994 almost everywhere.
Forecasters said they were unable to predict the weather over the winter months but the Met Office in Britain claimed temperatures are likely to be above normal over much of Europe, although not as mild as last year.
The summer washout seeped into the first half of September, with Dublin stations recording their usual monthly level of rainfall within the first six days.
This also brought the stations’ annual totals for 2008 above the amount normally recorded in a full year.
Dublin Airport’s downpour of 43.5mm on the September 5 was its highest level for the month since the station opened in 1941, while torrential rain on September 9 and 10 caused widespread flooding, especially in the south and west.
But the wet weather faded out toward the latter half of the month, allowing for clear skies and a respite from the doom and gloom that dominated the summer months.
While sunshine totals were near normal generally, the south-west of the country experienced higher than usual levels.
Knock Airport recorded the most rainfall for the month at 157mm, while Mullingar had the hottest temperature in the country at 19.7 Celsius on September 20.
