New Long-Term Climate Averages for Ireland

MetEireann

A Long-Term Average Period (or Climatological Normal) is a period of thirty consecutive years, beginning in the first year of a decade, 1951-1980, 1961-1990, 1971-2000, 1981-2010.

At present, comparisons are made to the 1961-1990 long-term average.
There is a need for up to date datasets that reflect the ‘current climate’.
Met Éireann has produced a suite of long-term averages covering the 1981-2010 period.

From the end of May 2012 these ‘new’ long-term averages will be used for day-to-day comparisons.

How are the averages Calculated?
Readings at weather stations are averaged for each month over a 30 year period.
Where there are gaps, estimates are made from a combination of data from neighbouring stations.
Long-term averages for stations are then used to generate maps and gridded data at 1km resolution.

1981-2010 Rainfall

• The driest months are from April to June
• The wettest months are from October-January
• The driest seasons are spring and summer
• Highest rainfall occurs in the Western half of the country and on higher ground

1981-2010 Temperature

• The coldest months are January and February, followed by December
• The warmest is July followed by August and June
• Summer is the warmest season followed by Autumn, Spring and Winter
• The mean annual temperature is 9-10 deg C, highest in coastal areas

>>>>> The new data is available here >>>>

octo

Buttonftw wrote: »

Any chance of releasing the complex algorithms that gave those outputs? They must surely be groundbreaking.

They'd probably go over your head, by the sound of you.

ninebeanrows

What disrespect on here to a member of the Met providing some updated information. Pathetic.

Thanks for the post OP.

Heroditas

I had always been under the impression that April was one of the wettest months when, in fact, it's one of the driest!
Is it because we seem to get a constant drizzle in that month or is it just my (entirely misguided) perception?

Tom Cruises Left Nut

Heroditas wrote: »

I had always been under the impression that April was one of the wettest months when, in fact, it's one of the driest!
Is it because we seem to get a constant drizzle in that month or is it just my (entirely misguided) perception?

Same here, April showers and all that !

Min

Thank you Met Eireann, needless to say I love the data for Kilkenny.

Deep Easterly

Just for archives sake, here is Gerry Fleming being interviewed on the Six One news on the 30th May last talking about the newly updated averages:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46ro5kzrqBc