The national forecaster said that 173.3mm of rain fell across Ireland last month, 169% of the 1981 to 2010 long-term average (LTA).

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Many farmers across the country won’t be surprised to learn that last month was the wettest March on record in Ireland, according to preliminary data from Met Éireann.

The national forecaster said that 173.3mm of rain fell across Ireland last month, 169% of the 1981 to 2010 long-term average (LTA).

Met Éireann stated that this came after the fourth-dryest February in recorded history the month before. According to the March Climate Statement, which was released today (April 4), the previous month was “unusually wet and dull.” Athenry, Co. Galway (185.9mm), Mace Head, Co. Galway (151.2mm), Mount Dillon, Co. Roscommon (169.8mm), and Casement Aerodrome, Co. Dublin all had their wettest March on record (109.3mm).

Additionally, according to the data, Moore Park in County Cork experienced its wettest March since 1996 with over 144mm. At Valentia Observatory in County Kerry, the highest monthly rainfall total of 239.2mm was recorded. This was the station’s wettest March since 1963 and 193% of its LTA.

Finner in County Donegal recorded the lowest monthly rainfall total (93.2 mm), which was 90% of its LTA. At Cork Airport, nearly 35 millimetres of rain fell on March 9, the highest amount of precipitation for a single day in March since 2013.

According to the report, the number of wet days in March varied from 22 in Claremorris, County Mayo, to 28 in Oak Park, County Carlow. Nearly all mean air temperatures, according to Met Éireann, were higher than their LTA for March.

Phoenix Park in Dublin, where the mercury reached 17.1° on March 29, had the month’s highest temperature. At Dublin Airport, -4.3° was recorded as the lowest temperature two days earlier.

On March 8, Markree, County Sligo, recorded the lowest grass minimum temperature of the month at -11.1°. Last month, grass frost was reported at every weather station. The report demonstrates that the northwest of the country experienced the most sunshine, but all monthly sunshine totals fell short of the LTA.

The day of Sunday, March 26 in Belmullet, County Mayo, Ireland, saw 10.3 hours of sunshine, the most this month. There were six dull days at Malin Head in Co. Donegal and fourteen at Johnstown Castle and Cork Airport.