2015 - The Weather Year in Review : Stats, Records etc

Oneiric 3

sryanbruen wrote: »

I am very surprised though at Cork Airport recording 366.5mm up to the 29th December of this month. This is surely, its wettest month on record!

It is, beating is previous monthly record of 256.5 mm back in Jan '88.

Syran, there is a wealth of weather statistics on the Met Eireann site that you may not know about. You will enjoy them and find them most useful:

http://www.met.ie/climate-request/

sryanbruen

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

It is, beating is previous monthly record of 256.5 mm back in Jan '88.

Syran, there is a wealth of weather statistics on the Met Eireann site that you may not know about. You will enjoy them and find them most useful:

http://www.met.ie/climate-request/

Fortunately, I already know about them

sryanbruen

Amazing fact that December has recorded a higher lowest maximum than November in Grange.

Lowest maximums:

November - 5.7c on the 21st
December - 6.1c on the 12th

sryanbruen

Grange's rainfall and maximum temperatures this December can be seen in the graph. It broke both records

*Wettest month on record
*Warmest December on record

Xenji

It looks like we are going to top out at around 2080mm of rain in Castlebar for the year, the station at Newport will register something very close to that as well after today.

pauldry

Sligo has over 500mm of rain for November and December

By far my wettest 2 month period since starting records in 2006

Also in 2006 rosses pt had 3m more coastline than today.

Summer here was very cool. In 2011 which was very cool in May June and July there were regularly days of 13 and 14c . It was cloudy lots but sometimes misty

In 2015 in May June and July it was 12c lots. It was under 10c 6 days. The only period of temperatures above normal was June 30 to July 2.

January had hail on quite a large number of days. Most months were very breezy if not windy.

There was low pressure systems stationed over the North Atlantic for the whole Summer leading to cold seas and cold temperatures

Oneiric 3

Highest temp all summer here was 22.1c, and that only lasted less than 10 minutes. but despite the fact that the Summer was cooler than average, it never felt cold. April was probably the nicest month, with some good sunshine in easterly, if chilly feeling winds. Frosts were unusually few and weak, with a low of just -3.6c back in January. Thunder days were painfully few, and were courtesy of a few distant rumbles, although some frequent sheet lightning was observed on the night of 23/24th December. All in all, an spectacularly unremarkable year.

sryanbruen

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

Highest temp all summer here was 22.1c, and that only lasted less than 10 minutes. but despite the fact that the Summer was cooler than average, it never felt cold. April was probably the nicest month, with some good sunshine in easterly, if chilly feeling winds. Frosts were unusually few and weak, with a low of just -3.6c back in January. Thunder days were painfully few, and were courtesy of a few distant rumbles, although some frequent sheet lightning was observed on the night of 23/24th December. All in all, an spectacularly unremarkable year.

Very unremarkable overall! But the devil is definitely in the detail!

sryanbruen

Global records and events that 2015 will be remembered for:

Record breaking cold and snowy February in the northeast of the USA - coldest month on record here

Strongest cyclone on record to hit Yemen (normally very dry) - Cyclone Chapala and another very strong cyclone hit it again in a week - Cyclone Megh

Strongest hurricane on record and it hit Mexico & Texas - Hurricane Patricia

Strongest El Nino on record

Warmest year on record (2016 expected to break that)

Exceptionally warm December in Europe and the USA

Storm Frank brought temperatures above freezing in the North Pole

Hurricane Joaquin's impact on Bermuda

Storm Desmond - brought over 200mm to parts of Florida as well as the British Isles

Anymore events you would like to share?

sryanbruen

Cork Airport's rainfall and maximum temperatures for December 1st - 30th 2015

sryanbruen

The Met Office figures show that Scotland has had its second wettest year on record behind 2011.

Scotland has recorded only three drier than normal months this year {April, September and October}.

joujoujou

Summary for 2015 - Palmfield Weather Station:

Temperature (°C):
Mean (1 minute) 8,9
Mean (min+max) 9,9
Mean Minimum 4,9
Mean Maximum 14,9
Minimum - - to be updated
Maximum - - to be updated
Highest Minimum 14,2 day 30.06
Lowest Maximum 0,8 day 19.01
Air frosts 29

Rainfall (mm):
Total for year 1221,9
Wettest day 86,8 day 05.12
High rain rate 997,2 day 07.01
Rain days 307
Dry days 58

Wind (km/h):
Highest Gust 103,0 day 12.03
Average Speed 17,0
Wind Run 148330,3 km
Gale days 13

Pressure (hPa):
Maximum 1021,6 day 08.02
Minimum 944,3 day 14.01

Days with snow falling 29
Days with snow lying at 0900 23

www.joujoujou.com/weather

force eleven

Despite all the record breaking rain in December, 2015 (yearly total) was drier (1356.6mm) than 2014 (1441.7mm). Near Moate Co Westmeath.

sryanbruen

Grange's summary for 2015

Very wet, sunny and cool.

Rainfall: Third wettest year on record. May and December particularly soggy.
Rainfall total of 905.8mm was 140% of the LTA and it was my third wettest year on record behind only 2002 and 2012. Rainfall was very unevenly distributed throughout the year with March, May, July, August, September, November and December all wetter than normal. May and December recorded particularly high totals with 291% and 335% of the LTA respectively and both their wettest respective months on record. December was also Grange's wettest month on record with 210.2mm beating the previous record of 194.2mm set in October 2011. September's high total was largely due to the very wet days of 11th, 13th and 21st despite most of the month being largely dry. I recorded my highest daily fall on May 2nd with 57.2mm, my highest for May on record and highest daily fall since October 2011. My fall of 27.2mm on September 13th was my highest for September since 2010 whilst my fall of 25.8mm on November 18th was my highest for November since 2002. During both of these events, I recorded over 15mm in less than an hour, my quickest downpours since September 2010. March was unremarkably wet and was still the wettest since 2008. July and August were both the wettest since 2009 and 2008 respectively. November nearly equalled the 2014 total and was my wettest November since 2002. January was the driest since 2006. February was the driest since 2008. Most of April was very dry and April was the driest since 2007. A long dry spell in June made June the driest since 2006 whilst another long dry spell in October made October the driest since 2007. I recorded over 208 wet days, around average or a little above average.

Temperature: Coolest year since 2010.
I recorded a mean temperature of 8.5c, -0.4c below the LTA and was my coolest year since 2010. Every month from January-October inclusive was colder than normal with May and September in particular. However, with the exception of September which was my coldest on record, none of the cold months were record breaking. Though the last two months (November and December) were unseasonably warm, the mean temperature did not change and in fact, the last two months nearly both equalled to the mean temperature - strange fact. November was my fifth warmest November on record whilst December was my warmest on record. I recorded a higher maximum in November than October with 18.4c on the 1st compared to 17.8c on Halloween, the day before. In fact, September was so cold, October was warmer than September by a few degrees - this never happened in my records before. September recorded a mean temperature of 9.5c whilst October recorded 9.9c, but it was still my coolest October since 1992. January was the coolest since 2010, February was the coolest since 1986 and March was the coolest since 2013. April, however, was a strange month as though it was colder than normal overall largely due to well below minimum temperatures, maximum temperatures were also well above average. This balanced to give a colder than normal April overall and was the coolest April since 1989. May was the coldest since 1996 and was my second coldest May with only one day reaching 20c or more, the 23rd compared to April which recorded 5 days with 20c or more. The cold air from May continued into the first half of June and 20c was not reached again until the 16th (the start of the second half). On June 9th, I recorded my lowest June minimum temperature on record with -1.0c. On June 30th, I recorded my highest maximum of the year with 25.6c. After July 4th, 20c was only reached on 2 days in July and it was my joint second coldest July on record with 2012 and 2002 since 1988. I recorded my lowest July minimum temperature on record on the 15th with -0.7c. Though August was much colder than normal and it was my coldest August since 1986, most days during this month reached 20c compared to the past two and I recorded 24.2c on the 18th. September was the coldest on record with only one day reaching 20c, the 8th. October was unremarkably cold with only -0.3c below the LTA. It was my third warmest Halloween on record. I recorded my annual lowest minimum on February 8th with -8.4c, my lowest for February on record.

Sunshine: Not as sunny as 2014 but still sunniest year since 2010.
Sunshine total of 1535 hours was 116% of the LTA and was my sunniest year since 2010 but not as sunny as 2014. Only May, July and November were duller than normal whilst every other month was sunnier than normal. January and April were both the sunniest on record. Amazingly, April was the sunniest month of the year with 244 hours and the last time this happened was back in 2011. January was sunnier than February, October, November and December, this has never happened before with 94 hours compared to 81, 93, 63 and 56 hours respectively. February was the sunniest since 2004. March was the sunniest since 2003. May was the fourth dullest on record and was the dullest since 1999. June was the sunniest since 2010. July was the second dullest on record with only 110 hours, 67% of the LTA and the dullest since 1986. August was the sunniest since 1995. September was the second sunniest on record and the sunniest since 2012. Despite being only relatively sunny, October was still the sunniest since 2010 comparing with recent dull ones of 2011, 2012 and 2013. November was the first dull November since 2007. December was still the dullest since 2002 despite being sunnier than normal. I recorded my sunniest day on June 9th with 16.0 hours. I recorded over 50 dull days, around average.

Pa ElGrande

Can't let the year go by without a review of all the bloopers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mor6ZDtd9I

RobertKK

2015 has been drier than 2014. 887mm v 994mm for 2014

Rainfall for 2015

Precipitation (mm)

              Dep.   Max        Days of Rain
              From   Obs.           >=
 YR MO Total  Norm   Day Date  0.2  2.0 20.0
---------------------------------------------
 15  1  40.8   0.0  10.8  14    23    4    0
 15  2  44.4   0.0  10.8  22    21    6    0
 15  3  66.0   0.0  20.6  12    21    8    1
 15  4  24.6   0.0   4.8   2    15    6    0
 15  5 121.2   0.0  19.2   5    20   14    0
 15  6  37.2   0.0  14.2   1    10    5    0
 15  7  78.4   0.0  16.0   6    21   10    0
 15  8  72.6   0.0  13.0  25    19    7    0
 15  9  35.0   0.0  11.0  11    19    5    0
 15 10  60.6   0.0  16.6  26    22    8    0
 15 11  94.2   0.0  14.0   8    25   14    0
 15 12 212.0   0.0  27.2   3    30   24    1
---------------------------------------------
       887.0   0.0  27.2  Dec  246  111    2

Temperature for 2015

Temperature (°C), Heat Base: 18.3  Cool Base: 18.3
                          Dep.  Heat  Cool                       Max  Max  Min  Min
        Mean  Mean        From  Deg   Deg                        >=   <=   <=   <=
 YR MO  Max   Min   Mean  Norm  Days  Days  Hi  Date  Low  Date 27.0  0.0  0.0 -18.0
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 15  1   7.0   1.4   4.2   0.0   414     0  14.9   9  -3.2   19    0    0   12    0
 15  2   6.4   1.1   3.6   0.0   403     0  11.2  25  -3.4    4    0    0    8    0
 15  3   9.4   2.1   5.7   0.0   365     0  13.8  22  -1.2    3    0    0    6    0
 15  4  13.8   4.2   8.6   0.0   283     0  18.9   6  -0.2   28    0    0    2    0
 15  5  13.3   5.5   9.3   0.0   273     0  17.2  22   0.0   22    0    0    1    0
 15  6  17.8   8.5  12.9   0.0   159     2  23.1  30   3.3    1    0    0    0    0
 15  7  17.8  10.4  13.6   0.0   144     1  24.8   1   6.4   25    0    0    0    0
 15  8  18.2  10.2  13.7   0.0   145     2  23.1  18   6.8   15    0    0    0    0
 15  9  15.4   8.6  11.5   0.0   202     0  19.2  17   5.8    6    0    0    0    0
 15 10  13.4   7.3  10.1   0.0   255     0  17.4   1   3.6   13    0    0    0    0
 15 11  11.2   5.7   8.5   0.0   285     0  15.1   6  -0.1   23    0    0    1    0
 15 12  10.4   4.8   7.8   0.0   323     0  12.8  18   0.8   31    0    0    0    0
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        12.8   5.8   9.1   0.0  3257     7  24.8 Jul  -3.4  Feb    0    0   30    0

Wind for 2015 (towards end of year wind direction not accurate in high wind as it sticks at north, think there is a connection that gets loose when under pressure.

Wind Speed (km/h)
                          Dom
 YR MO   Avg.  Hi   Date  Dir
------------------------------
 15  1  15.6  90.1   28    SW
 15  2  10.7  61.2   23   WSW
 15  3  10.7  77.2   31   WSW
 15  4   8.8  67.6   12   WSW
 15  5  11.6  75.6   19     W
 15  6  10.3  67.6    1   WSW
 15  7   9.7  54.7   27     W
 15  8   8.5  61.2    3    NW
 15  9   6.6  40.2   28   NNW
 15 10   5.7  62.8   30   NNW
 15 11  13.8  95.0   17    NW
 15 12  18.2  98.2   23     N
------------------------------
        10.9  98.2  Dec     W

Hope to get the anemometer to proper height this year.

Lumi

Galway City Weather: Summary for 2015

Temperature (°C):
Mean (1 minute) 10.3
Mean (min+max) 10.5
Mean Minimum 7.3
Mean Maximum 13.7
Minimum -1.9 on 04/02/2015
Maximum 22.3 on 03/07/2015
Highest Minimum 14.8 on 30/06/2015
Lowest Maximum 3.8 on 19/01/2015
Air frosts 5

Rainfall (mm):
Total for period 1460.2
Wettest day 65.6 on 05/12/2015
High rain rate 122.8 day 06/07/2015
Rain days 274
Dry days 91

Wind (mph):
Highest Gust 58.0 on 05/12/2015
Average Speed 6.3
Wind Run 55150.7 miles
Gale days 0

Pressure (hPa):
Maximum 1043.76 on 08/02/2015
Minimum 968.95 on 14/01/2015

Days with snow falling 6
Days with snow lying at 0900 1

Total hours of sunshine 1510.0

Oneiric 3

RobertKK wrote: »

wind direction not accurate in high wind as it sticks at north, think there is a connection that gets loose when under pressure.
.

This happens on my weather station a lot. (Davis V2). I find sometimes that disconnecting the anemometer from the ISS for a couple of mins does the trick, but I think that problem is down to the fact that I extend the anemometer cable by 20 m a few years back. A twiggling around where I connected the wires usually sets the direction straight for a while, but must do a better job on this once the weather gets a bit drier and warmer.

RobertKK

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

This happens on my weather station a lot. (Davis V2). I find sometimes that disconnecting the anemometer from the ISS for a couple of mins does the trick, but I think that problem is down to the fact that I extend the anemometer cable by 20 m a few years back. A twiggling around where I connected the wires usually sets the direction straight for a while, but must do a better job on this once the weather gets a bit drier and warmer.

Same weather station as yourself. Thanks for the tips, will try it out.

sryanbruen

This attachment shows Grange's mean temperatures for each month from January 2010 - December 2015 as well as the average and annual temperatures. In 2015, December was the only true month for really record breaking temperatures despite my cold September. Blue shading means colder than normal and red means warmer than normal. Green means average - though there isn't any.

sryanbruen

2015 official records

Knock Airport's dullest year on record {total of only 980.6 hours, duller than 2014}
Newport's wettest year on record
Malin Head's wettest year on record
Knock Airport's wettest year on record

Villain

Met Eireann have published reports

ecember 2015: Extremely wet and warm everywhere

Rainfall: double or triple the normal rainfall in nearly all parts

All stations reported well above Long-Term Average rainfall with most stations across the country reporting double or triple their normal rainfall for December. Wettest conditions (compared to LTA) were in county Cork where nearly all stations reported over 300% of LTA. Roche’s Point reported the highest percentage of LTA with 342%?(340.6 mm of rain) its highest for December since 1955. The majority of stations reported their wettest December on record with exception of some stations mainly in the East and West which reported wetter conditions in 1978 and 1999, respectively. Malin Head, Co Donegal reported its wettest December since 1885 with 273.0 mm (235%?of LTA) while Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry reported its wettest December since 1934 with 339.0 mm (206% of LTA). The wettest days were the mainly the 3rd, 5th and 12th with stations in the West reporting daily rainfall totals of around 50 mm or more on the 5th. The month’s wettest day was reported at Malin Head on this date with 80.7 mm, the stations wettest day for any month since 1955.

Temperature: warmest December in over 160 years at station in Dublin

All mean temperatures for December were well above their LTA with differences above average ranging from 1.4°C at Markree, Co?Sligo with a monthly mean of 7.1°C to 3.6°C at Dublin (Phoenix Park) with a monthly mean of 9.0°C. Dublin (Phoenix Park) reported its warmest December since records began at the site in 1855, while Valentia Observatory equalled its highest since 1893 with 10.0°C (2.3°C from LTA). The majority of stations reported it as their warmest on record with exception of a few isolated stations located in the North, Midlands, West and South. There, it was the warmest December since 1988, and the 2nd or 3rd warmest on record. All highest maxima were recorded between the 16th and 18th, with the month’s highest temperature reported at Malin Head on the 17th with 16.0°C, its highest December temperature in sixty years. Most lowest minima were recorded on the 13th, 27th and 31st with the month’s lowest temperature reported at Markree on the 13th with -3.1°C. Lowest minima reported at Valentia Observatory and Shannon Airport, Co Clare of 3.7°C and 2.2°C were the highest for December in over 70 years.

Sunshine: Cork reports dullest December in nearly 25 years

Monthly sunshine totals ranged from 19.7 hours at Belmullet, Co Mayo to 48.4 hours at Dublin Airport, its dullest December in 10 years. The highest daily sunshine was 5.5 hours reported at Shannon Airport on the 21st. Cork Airport reported a monthly total of 24.3 hours, its dullest December since 1991 and its fourth dullest in over 50 years. The number of dull days (days with less than 0.5 hours of sun) were from 15 at Dublin and Shannon Airport to 23 at Cork Airport.

Wind: three winter storms; Desmond, Eva and Frank

Monthly mean wind speeds ranged from 8.9 knots (16.5 km/h) at Fermoy (Moore Park), Co Cork to 21.8 knots (40.4 km/h) at Mace Head, Co Galway. Over half of stations had their highest monthly wind speeds in six to 28 years with Valentia Observatory and Shannon Airport both reporting their windiest December in 41 years with monthly mean wind speeds of 14.8 knots (27.4 km/h) and 13.3 knots (24.6 km/h), respectively. Four days reported storm force winds with three named winter storms occurring; Storm Desmond (4th and 5th), Storm Eva (23rd), Storm Frank (29th and 30th). The month’s highest gust was 73 knots (135 km/h) at Belmullet on the 23rd, its highest December gust since 2002. The highest 10-minute wind speed was 55 knots (102 km/h) at Sherkin Island, Co Cork on the 30th.
2015: Wet, windy and slightly cool in many places

Temperature: below LTA mean temperatures nearly everywhere

Nearly all annual mean air temperatures were on or below their Long-term Average (LTA). The coolest conditions (compared to monthly LTAs) were in July with differences from LTA of over -2°C. December by comparison had the warmest monthly conditions with LTA differences nearing 4°C in the East. Differences from annual LTA ranged from -0.8°C at Markree, Co Sligo with an annual mean temperature of 8.8°C, its coolest year in five years to 0.3°C at Dublin (Phoenix Park) with an annual mean temperature of 9.9°C. A few other stations, mainly located in the Midlands and West, reported their lowest annual mean temperatures since 2010. The highest annual temperatures were mainly recorded in June and July with the highest annual maximum recorded at Dublin (Phoenix Park) on June 30th with 25.6°C, its highest June maximum since 1996. The lowest annual temperatures were mainly recorded in January and February with the lowest annual minimum reported Dublin Airport on the February 3rd with -7.9°C, its lowest for February since 1956 and its lowest annual temperature since 2010.

Rainfall: nearly all places report on or above normal rainfall

Annual rainfall totals comparisons to LTA were nearly all on or above their LTA. The driest month (compared to LTA) was June with monthly LTAs in the East below 30% (attributed to a ‘dry spell’1 between the 6th and 26th). The wettest conditions (compared to LTA)?were in December when parts of the South reported 300% or more of the normal?rainfall. Annual percentage of LTA values ranged from 96%?at Mace Head, Co Galway with 1281.6 mm to 137% at Knock Airport, Co Mayo with 1852.0 mm, its wettest years since the station opened in 1996. Malin Head, Co Donegal reported an annual total of 1483.9 mm (134% of LTA) and its wettest year since records began at the site in 1885. Newport, Co Mayo reported the highest annual rainfall with 2078.8 mm (129% of LTA), its wettest since the site opened in 1960, while most other stations in the West, South and Midlands reported it was their wettest year in six to 13 years. The highest daily rainfall was at Malin Head on December 5th during Storm Desmond with 80.7mm, the wettest day at the station since 1955. The number of annual wet days2 ranged from 144 at Dublin Airport to 236 at Newport.

Sunshine: dullest year for Knock Airport since station opened

Annual sunshine totals were lowest at Knock Airport where the dullest year since the station opened 19 years ago was reported with an annual total of 980.9 hours (daily mean of 2.7 hrs/day, 82%?of LTA). The highest annual sunshine was 1547.9 hours (daily mean 4.2 hrs/day, 107% of LTA) at Dublin Airport. The sunniest day was June 10th reported at both Dublin Airport and Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin with 15.7 hours and Dublin Airport’s sunniest day in five years. The number of dull days3 ranged from 77 at Dublin Airport to 131 at Knock Airport.

Wind: highest annual mean wind speed in 33 years at Shannon Airport

Annual mean wind speeds ranged from 5.4 knots (10.0 km/h) at Fermoy (Moore Park), Co Cork to 15.9 knots (29.4 km/h) at Mace Head, Co Galway. Two-thirds of stations reported their highest annual mean wind speeds in at least six to 25 years, with Shannon Airport, Co Clare reporting an annual wind speed of 10.4 knots (19.3km/h), its highest since 1982. The year’s highest gust was 76 knots (141 km/h) at Mace Head on February 23rd while the highest 10-minute wind speed was 55 knots (102 km/h) at Sherkin Island, Co Cork on December 30th.

December 2015 http://www.met.ie/climate/MonthlyWeather/sum1.pdf
Annual 2015 http://www.met.ie/climate/MonthlyWeather/seas1.pdf

sryanbruen

It's mad how Knock Airport is getting very little sunshine. Only April was sunnier than normal here and March was average. Every other month was duller than normal.

sryanbruen

Does anybody have any global weather stories of 2015 or weather extremes they'd like to be part of my weather review of the year? PM me if you do... please... I am mostly looking for weather extremes or stories from July - December as I have mainly done January - June already.