AVERAGE TEMPERATURES ACROSS Ireland last month were 13.18 degrees, making it the coldest June since 2015.

The coldest June in Met Éireann’s 125-year dataset was the 11.08 degrees recorded in 1972, while the warmest June was recorded last year, with an average temperature of 16.22 degrees.

Last month’s average temperature was also 0.51 degrees below the 1991-2020 long-term average for June.

In its climate statement for June issued today, Met Éireann said this June was a “relatively dry and cool month overall”.

Met Éireann said the first half of the month was dominated by a northerly airflow from the Arctic, which kept temperatures and rainfall below average.

The wettest period of the month occurs between Thursday 13 and Saturday 15 June, when low pressure from the Atlantic broke though and brought with it heavy showers.

In low pressure systems, air rises and blows in an anticlockwise direction, which causes clouds to form and can lead to rain and often results in unsettled weather.

In the second half of the month, the weather system coming from the warmer climes of the Azores in the North Atlantic Ocean kept Ireland mostly dry and mild, with Sunday 23 to Wednesday 26 June being the warmest period of the month.

The highest temperature last month of 26.6 degrees was recorded at Dublin’s Phoenix Park on Monday 24 June.

Meanwhile, all rainfall totals were below the 1981-2010 long-term averages, but it was wettest in the Northwest while Cork experienced its driest June since 2018.

Monthly rainfall totals ranged from 30.4 mm at Dublin Airport, Co Dublin to 80.7 mm at Newport, Co Mayo.

The monthly rainfall total was 35.1 mm at Cork Airport and 67.7 mm at Finner, Co Donegal.

The highest daily rainfall total was 23.1 mm at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry on 13 June.

The number of rain days – defined as a day on which 0.2 mm or more of rainfall is measured – ranged from nine days at both Roche’s Point, Co Cork and Cork Airport to 23 days at Malin Head, Co Donegal.

The number of wet days – a day with 1.0 mm or more of rainfall – ranged from five days at Oak Park, Co Carlow to 16 days at both Newport, Co Mayo and Markree, Co Sligo.

Meanwhile, the number of very wet days – a day with 10.0 mm or more of rainfall – ranged from zero days at a few stations to four days at Newport, Co Mayo.

As for the sunshine, all totals were above their long-term averages, ranging from 124.7 hours of monthly sunshine at Belmullet, Co Mayo, to 181.3 hours at Cork Airport.

The number of dull days – a day with less than half an hour of sunshine – ranged from one day at a few stations to five days at both Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry and Belmullet, Co Mayo.