It has been a remarkably warm start to November, with temperatures running up to 5°C above average for the time of year.

Phoenix Park in Dublin has recorded a mean temperature of 12.5°C in the first week of the month, which is a full 5°C above the Long-Term Average (LTA) for the station. Dublin Airport is also 5°C above its LTA. Athenry in Galway has recorded a mean temperature of 11.4°C, which is 4°C higher than the LTA for the station.

Ireland’s current mild spell is due to warm southwesterly winds from the Atlantic. Persistent cloud cover and a strong jet stream keeping colder air to the north are helping maintain temperatures several degrees above normal for November.

It has also been exceptionally wet during the first seven days of November. A total of 67.8mm has been recorded at Cork Airport in the past week, which is 231% of its average rainfall. Athenry is approaching 70% of its entire average rainfall for the month, having recorded 83.6mm over the past week.

The unsettled theme will continue into next week, with a risk of localised flooding through Monday night and Tuesday as heavy rain extends from the south. With fallen leaves clogging gullies and drains, and with ground conditions already saturated or waterlogged, rainwater is likely to pool, leading to spot flooding.