Ireland Records Warmest, Sunniest Spring on Record

Spring 2025 will go down in the record books as the warmest and sunniest meteorological spring Ireland has ever experienced, according to provisional data released by Met Éireann.

From March to May, temperatures soared well above normal across the country, with average air temperatures exceeding the long-term average by as much as 2.2°C at Knock Airport, Co Mayo. It is the first time in 126 years of observations that a spring season in Ireland was more than 2°C warmer than the 20th century average.

This record warmth was accompanied by unprecedented sunshine. Nearly all monitoring stations reported their sunniest spring ever, with Casement Aerodrome in Dublin logging 633.8 hours of sunshine — 139% of its seasonal average — and Shannon Airport close behind at 630.8 hours.

Calm, Dry, and Dominated by High Pressure

The season was shaped by persistent high pressure systems, often positioned just north of Ireland and the UK. These systems blocked Atlantic fronts, reduced cloud cover, and brought long spells of settled, dry, and sunny weather. Easterly winds prevailed, especially in March and May, contributing to the unusually dry conditions.

National rainfall was well below normal. The lowest seasonal total — just 129.5 mm — was recorded at Sherkin Island, Co Cork, making it the driest spring there since 1997. Across the country, many stations logged multiple climatological dry periods, with 11 experiencing absolute droughts.

Marine Heatwave Develops Off the Coast

The sustained calm and sunny conditions also contributed to a developing marine heatwave off Ireland’s west coast in April and May. Sea surface temperatures in some offshore areas rose to 4°C above average — a concerning indicator in line with global climate change projections.

Notable Temperature Extremes

The highest temperature of the season — 25.9°C — was recorded at Athenry, Co Galway on April 30th, the warmest spring day in 15 years of records at that station. Conversely, the coldest night dropped to -4.6°C at Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon in mid-March.

Ground frost was widespread, with Mount Dillon experiencing 54 days of ground frost — the highest nationwide — while Sherkin Island had the fewest at just four days.

Of 25 principal weather stations, 23 recorded their warmest spring ever. The remaining two — Dunsany and Dublin Airport — logged their second and joint-third warmest springs, respectively.

A Quiet Season for Winds

Spring 2025 was also notably calm. Mean wind speeds were below normal at many stations, and only one station — Mace Head, Co Galway — reported gale-force winds, on two separate days in March and May. Seven stations recorded their lowest average spring wind speeds on record.

Sunshine Records Shattered

The season saw exceptional levels of sunshine across Ireland. Malin Head, Co Donegal led with a seasonal total of 649.7 hours — the highest in the country and the sunniest spring on record for that station. The longest single-day sunshine total — 15.2 hours — occurred twice: on May 18th and May 22nd.

Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry was the only station not to set a new spring sunshine record, though it still recorded its second sunniest spring ever, after 2010.