LAST MONTH was the warmest May on record in most places, forming part of a continuing trend towards global warming, according to Met Éireann.
Releasing its monthly weather summary for May, the national meteorological service said after an unsettled start, a number of stations also recorded their driest May since 1991.
Mean air temperatures above normal were also recorded all around the country,with temperatures more than three degrees higher than normal in western areas.
"It was the warmest May in over a century of record at the long-term stations of Dublin (Phoenix Park), Malin Head and Birr," says the summary.
While temperatures were close to normal in both March and April, May was exceptionally warm, particularly in the western half of the country. In particular, temperatures rose above 20 degrees at many inland and western stations during the second week of May.
Overall, mean air temperatures during this year's spring months were between a half and one degree above normal almost everywhere.
Rainfall totals during the spring months were generally close to normal, but March was very wet in many areas.
Although sunshine totals during spring were "well above normal generally," no station recorded the same level of sunshine as that recorded during last spring, which was the sunniest on record in many places.
Valentia observatory also recorded its highest spring gust since 1959 on March 10th, at 73 knots.
The figures are contained in Met Éireann's monthly weather summary for May, and its summary of the spring months of March, April and May.
Commenting on the figures, forecaster Aidan Nulty said both the cause and effect of global warming remained in dispute.
"What we can say is that the figures for May are an indication of a longer trend that has been going on since the early 1990s - that temperatures are rising globally."
The summary also reveals that the highest level of rainfall last month was recorded on May 21st at Valentia observatory, while the most sunshine was recorded at Dublin airport last Saturday, where the sun shone for some 15 hours.
There was also no air or ground frost during May at the majority of stations, although ground frost was recorded in some inland areas. It was also very dry around much of the country during the month, with less than half the normal rainfall in places.