It’s official – Ireland is getting warmer according to new figures from the country’s weather service.
The data also suggests the country is getting wetter with each passing year.

Met Eireann, the government’s official weather service, announced the findings as it launched a new system for recording conditions.

A more recent set of climate averages will now be used to collate data on Irish weather.
The averages will be used from now on for day-to day weather comparisons by Met Eireann.

The new figures show that Ireland’s climate was half a degree warmer over the more recent 30-year period compared with the previous period.

Officials at Met Éireann described it as a ‘significant rise’ in temperature.

Previously the period 1961-1990 had been used to gauge if the weather is wetter or warmer than average but from now on, the period 1981 to 2010 will be used.

The new data also shows a five per cent increase in Ireland’s annual average rainfall. Met Eireann say conclusions cannot be drawn from that because of variability in weather.

The research says Dublin is one of the driest parts of the country, the west is the wettest, and the southeast is the sunniest.

Met Éireann officials also said the new data will be useful to planners involved in agriculture, infrastructure and water supplies.