SHANNON weather station has recorded a new temperature record for a November day.
On Friday, November 11, the temperature at the Met Éireann weather station in Shannon never dropped below 14.9 degrees celsius.
This represented a new November highest daily minimum temperature record for Ireland.
It was an exceptionally warm month of November in general at Shannon, well ahead of the long term average for the month.
It was also particularly sunny for the time of year, with 71 hours and 36 minutes of sunshine over the course of the month, 21% more than the long term November average.
On the negative side, the amount of rainfall for the month in Shannon was 44% greater than the long term average.
The Met Éireann report for the month said, “November 2022 was a mild and windy month, dominated by Atlantic low pressure systems to the west of Ireland, with the airflow mostly between southerly and south-westerly.
“This set-up steered many tropical maritime air masses over the country during the month, bringing mild conditions and rain on most days.
“Numerous active weather fronts crossed the country from the south and southwest, interspersed with showery periods.
“This resulted in the windward facing counties of the South and West receiving the bulk of the rainfall.”
Active weather fronts, or heavy thundery showers, affected the Southwest daily in the first week of the month, the report stated.
These fronts also affected the rest of the country at times, especially on the 2nd and 7th, with sunshine and showers on other days. The East of the country, meanwhile, escaped with mostly light rain.
The reported added that there was a similar pattern for the rest of the month, with frontal troughs bringing widespread falls of rain, especially on the 13th, 21st, 23rd and 24th, interspersed with sunny spells and showery periods.
The rain was heaviest and most persistent in the South and West, with the East mostly escaping with lighter falls.
It became drier towards the end of the month as high pressure built over Scandinavia and began to push westwards.
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked with a number of other publications in Limerick, Cork and Galway. His first book will be published in December 2024.