Although there were spells of wet weather at times during August, rainfall amounts were generally small, especially in southern areas, while many days were sunny. There was little variation in temperatures during much of August, but a cool northerly airstream over Ireland during the last week brought mean temperatures for the month below normal at most stations. Rainfall totals were below normal everywhere and it was a particularly dry month over Munster and south Leinster, where less than 50% of normal rainfall was recorded. Cork Airport’s total of 17mm was its lowest for August since 1995. This station had only three wetdays during the month (days with 1mm or more rainfall), but between eight and 14 wetdays were measured at most stations, close to normal for August. Temperatures were near or a little above normal
during much of August, but cool conditions during the final week brought mean air temperatures for the month a little below normal generally, and many stations had their coolest August for 16 or 17 years. There were very few days during the month when maximum temperatures rose above 20°C, while there were no such days in some western and southwestern areas. Slight ground frost developed in eastern and midland areas towards the end of the month, with many stations recording their lowest August temperatures for up to 46 years on either the 29th or 30th.
Like every other month so far of 2010 apart from July, sunshine totals were above normal everywhere and it was the sunniest August for between seven and 15 years generally. Unusually for August, the second half of the month was sunnier than the first, with some stations recordingtheir sunniest day of the month as late as the 30th. Source Met Eireann
