The winter season was the 15th warmest since 1900, with an average temperature of 6.73 degrees, despite large parts of the country being covered in snow during a January cold snap.
Winter 2024/25 was 0.75 degrees cooler than 2019’s average of 7.48 degrees, the warmest on record, and 3.83 degrees warmer than 1963’s average of 2.90 degrees, the coldest on record, according to a seasonal report from Met Éireann.
While there were below-average temperatures at most weather stations in January due to an Arctic air mass descending over Ireland, there were above-average temperatures in December and February at all stations.
Mean temperatures for the season ranged from 5.1 degrees at Knock airport, in Co Mayo, to 8.5 degrees at Sherkin Island, Co Cork.
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The winter’s lowest air temperature (-7.6 degrees) was recorded on January 9th in Athenry, Co Galway; the highest temperature (15 degrees) was recorded on December 17th at Shannon Airport, Co Clare.
The report shows storm-force winds were recorded in early December during Storm Darragh and again on December 22nd. Storm Éowyn brought storm-force and hurricane-force winds on January 23rd and 24th resulting in widespread power outages and disruption.
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The winter’s strongest gust (184km/h) and 10-minute mean wind speed (142km/h) were recorded at Mace Head, Co Galway, on January 24th during Storm Éowyn. These are the highest (sustained and gust) wind speeds for Ireland since records have been recorded digitally.
Provisional rainfall data suggests winter 2024/25 was the 41st driest since 1940. The driest winter was in 1964 and the wettest was in 2016.
The majority of rainfall totals across Ireland were below the most recent long-term average for the period from 1991-2020. They ranged from 167.1mm (90 per cent of the average) at Dublin Airport, Co Dublin to 532.5mm (106 per cent of the average) at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry.
Roches Point in Co Cork recorded its wettest winter since 1974, and seventh wettest on record. The winter’s wettest day was recorded at Valentia, with 37.4mm falling on January 4th.
Overall, the number of rain days ranged from 45 at Dublin Airport to 76 at Belmullet and Knock airport.
The number of “very wet days” ranged from two at Dunsany, Co Meath, to 21 at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry.
A dry spell lasting for 17 days was recorded at Dublin’s Phoenix Park between January 6th and 22nd.
Total sunshine hours were above their long-term average for the season, ranging from 156.6 hours at Malin Head, Co Donegal, to 209.9 hours at Dublin Airport.
The highest number of daily sunshine hours recorded was 9.6 at Gurteen, Co Tipperary, on February 27th, while Johnstown Castle in Co Wexford recorded the highest number of dull days at 46.
