Mild and very wet
Meteorological Autumn 2025 was the 4th wettest autumn in 85 years of records for Ireland, and the wettest of any season since Autumn 2022, according to the latest seasonal Climate Statement from Met Éireann. Autumn 2025 was also the 5th consecutive season to see warmer than average temperatures and makes it 17 of the last 18 seasons to see temperatures above the most recent 30-year long term average (LTA).
Key Figures:
- The national mean air temperature for autumn 2025 (using the Island of Ireland dataset*) was 11.18 °C, which is 0.39 °C above the most recent 1991-2020 LTA and 0.98 °C above the 1961-1990 LTA for autumn.
- This makes autumn 2025 the 20th warmest since 1900, but the coolest since 2020.
- Of the top ten warmest autumns, seven have occurred since 2001 (highest first 2021, 2011, 2006, 2022, 2023, 2001 and 2007) and none of the top ten coldest have.
- The national gridded average rainfall for autumn 2025 was 493 mm, which is 134% of its 1991-2020 LTA, making it the 4th wettest autumn in 85 years.
- Autumn 2025 is the wettest season and autumn since autumn 2022.
- Of the top ten wettest autumns, six have occurred since 2001 (highest first 2022, 2025, 2009, 2006, 2023 and 2011).
Autumn Climate Statement highlights
Autumn 2025 was mild, after a cool September, and very wet.
September was relatively cool and wet with Ireland often situated on the northern side of the jet stream in Polar maritime air masses. Atlantic low pressure dominated the first two thirds of the month, while high pressure took control for the final third.
October was mild, dull and wet. The beginning of the month was dominated by an atmospheric river originating from the Caribbean, which brought widespread heavy rain along with the first named storm of the season, storm Amy, named by the Met Office (UK). Storm Amy brought the windiest period of the season with widespread gales and up to violent storm force winds on Friday 3rd as it passed close to the northwest coast of Ireland. Anticyclonic gloom was a feature of the middle part of October as a cloudy high pressure system became established over the country. Atlantic low pressure took control again for the final third of the month.
November was mild and wet overall. The first half of the month was very mild with low pressure often situated to the southwest of Ireland pushing warm tropical maritime airmasses over the country from the south or southwest. One such system, Storm Claudia, named by the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET), stalled to the southwest of Ireland and steered numerous active weather fronts northwards across the country. The coldest period of the season was just after mid-November as blocking high pressure to the northwest steered an Arctic airmass over the country for several days with widespread frost at night. The season finished as it began with a mobile Atlantic setup and low pressure in control.
Rainfall: Above average everywhere, wettest season since autumn 2022 at 11 stations
All seasonal rainfall totals across the country were above their 1991-2020 Long-Term Average (LTA). Percentage of seasonal rainfall values ranged from 104% (384.6 mm) at Belmullet, Co Mayo to 163% (531.4 mm) at Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford (its 2nd wettest autumn on record behind 2023 (540.1mm)). Seasonal rainfall totals ranged from 274.5 mm (122% of its LTA) at Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin to 650.8 mm (132% of its LTA) at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry. The highest daily rainfall total was 66.9 mm at Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford on Friday 14th November (its wettest autumn day since 2010).
The number of rain days* ranged from 59 days at Roches Point, Co Cork to 75 days at both Newport, Co Mayo and Knock Airport, Co Mayo. The number of wet days* ranged from 44 days at Roches Point, Co Cork to 69 days at Newport, Co Mayo. The number of very wet days* ranged from 6 days at both Phoenix Park and Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin to 24 days at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry.
It was the wettest autumn on record at three stations. These were Sherkin Island, Co Cork with 502.3 mm (156% of its LTA) (record length 54 years), Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon with 438.7 mm (156% of its LTA) (length 20 years) and Gurteen, Co Tipperary with 382.3 mm (145% of its LTA) (length 17 years). It was the wettest November since 1980 at Athenry, Co Galway and the wettest since 2011 at three stations.
Provisional monthly gridded 2025 rainfall anomalies so far (% of 1991-2020 LTA) together with monthly rainfall totals in millimeters (autumn months in brown)
Temperature: Above average everywhere for the 5th consecutive season
All mean air temperatures across the country were above their LTA for the season. Deviations from mean air temperature for the season ranged from +0.1 °C at Belmullet, Co Mayo, Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry and Newport, Co Mayo (11.3 °C , 11.9 °C, 11.3 °C mean temperature respectively) to +0.6 °C at Phoenix Park, Co Dublin and Gurteen, Co Tipperary (11.1 °C , 10.6 °C mean temperature respectively). Mean temperatures for the season ranged from 9.7 °C (0.4 °C above its LTA) at Knock Airport, Co Mayo to 12.3 °C (0.3 °C above its LTA) at Sherkin Island, Co Cork.
The season’s lowest temperatures were recorded on Friday 21st November with the lowest air minimum of -4.5 °C reported at Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon and the lowest grass minimum of -8.6 °C reported at Markree, Co Sligo. The highest maximum of 20.9°C was recorded at both Shannon Airport, Co Clare on Tuesday 9th September and Oak Park, Co Carlow on Wednesday 17th September. All stations reported ground frost during the season. The number of days with ground frost ranged from 2 days at Knock Airport, Co Mayo to 31 days at Phoenix Park, Co Dublin. More than half of stations reported air frost. The number of days with air frost ranged from zero days at Mace Head, Co Galway to 8 days at both Moore Park, Co Cork and Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon.
Dublin Airport, Co Dublin Temperature: Daily mean departure from LTA for Autumn 2025 based on 09-09hr Max/Min values.
Cork Airport, Co Cork Temperature: Daily mean departure from LTA for Autumn 2025 based on 09-09hr Max/Min values.
Sunshine: Relatively sunny September and November, dull October
Sunshine values varied across the country. Percentage of seasonal sunshine values ranged from 98% (291.0 hours) at Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin to 108% (297.4 hours) at Shannon Airport, Co Clare. Seasonal sunshine totals ranged from 218.1 hours (no LTA comparison*) at Malin Head, Co Donegal to 314.3 hours (no LTA comparison*) at Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford . The highest number of daily sunshine hours recorded this season was 11.1 hours at Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford on Monday 22nd September. The number of dull days* ranged from 24 days at a few stations to 33 days at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry.
Wind: Violent storm Force winds reported in October during storm Amy, strong gales in September and November
Seasonal mean wind speeds ranged from 5.8 knots (10.7 km/h) at Moore Park, Co Cork to 16.8 knots (31.1 km/h) at Mace Head, Co Galway. Gales were reported on the numerous days with strong gales reported on Sunday 14th and Monday 15th September, Friday 3rd, Saturday 4th and Thursday 30th October, Sunday 23rd and Thursday 27th November. Mean wind speeds reached storm force at three stations (Belmullet, Co Mayo, Malin Head, Co Donegal and Mace Head, Co Galway) on Friday 3rd October during storm Amy and at one station (Mace Head, Co Galway) on Saturday 4th October during storm Amy. Mean wind speeds reached violent storm force 11 at Malin Head, Co Donegal on Friday 3rd October during storm Amy.
The number of days with gales ranged from zero days at a few stations to 17 days at Malin Head, Co Donegal. The number of days with up to strong gales ranged from zero at a few stations to 6 days at Mace Head, Co Galway. Both the season’s highest gust and 10-minute mean wind speed was reported at Malin Head, Co Donegal on Friday 3rd October during storm Amy. The highest gust was 80 knots (148 km/h) (its highest gust for autumn since 1998) while the season’s highest 10-minute mean wind speed was 60 knots (111 km/h).
Dublin Airport, Co Dublin and Cork Airport, Co Cork: Wind Roses for Autumn 2025.
The statement in full is available here (choose Autumn on drop down menu for month).
Autumn 2025 extreme values at synoptic stations.
Notes to Editor:
- *Issued by Met Éireann on Wednesday 3rd December 2025. This report is based on available preliminary data from 25 principal weather stations operated by Met Éireann. Synoptic station data is midnight to midnight UTC. Long-Term Averages (LTAs) and “average” refer to the period 1991-2020 unless stated.
- A rain day is a day on which 0.2 mm or more of rainfall is measured. A wet day is a day with 1.0 mm or more of rainfall. A dull day is a day with less than 0.5 hours of sunshine. A very wet day is a day with 10.0 mm or more of rainfall.
- Climatological dry periods – An absolute drought is a period of 15 or more consecutive days to none of which is credited 0.2 mm or more of precipitation. A partial drought is a period of at least 29 consecutive days, the mean daily rainfall of which does not exceed 0.2 mm. A dry spell is a period of 15 or more consecutive days to none of which is credited 1.0 mm or more of precipitation (i.e. daily tot < 1.0 mm).
- A heatwave occurs where there are 5 consecutive days or more with maximum temperature over 25°C (that is, a daily maximum screen air temperature > 25° C).
- The ‘Island of Ireland’ dataset is 125 years long and runs between 1900 and 2023. For this dataset the long term averages from the 1961-1990 reference period are used for comparison as is standard for long-term climate change assessments.
- Sunshine data is from the Autosol Network. LTAs for these sites are currently not used for comparison purposes.
- For more information or interview opportunities with a Met Éireann spokesperson, please contact us at enq@met.ie.