Dubliners have endured the wettest summer since records began - but the rest of the country didn't have much to smile about either.

More rain fell on Dublin in June and July than in any of the 170 years for which records have been kept, Met Eireann revealed yesterday.

In July alone, there was three times the normal rainfall for the month in certain parts of the capital.

Rainfall totals were more than 250pc of normal over parts of Leinster while Cork had 180pc of its normal rain, Shannon Airport had 171pc and Claremorris had 200pc of the normal expectancy.

It rained somewhere in the country for 49 consecutive days between June 11 and July 29, with Mullingar having the highest total at 154mm.

However the global warming trend suffered a blip as temperatures were near or a little below normal nationwide - making it the first month since March 2006 that it wasn't warmer than usual.

Comment: Poor reporting. The way this is mentioned as a 'blip' in the global warming trend, fails to inform the reader that the wettest month on record ever might have any connection!

The thermometer very rarely rose above 20C throughout the entire month, Met Eireann noted in their Monthly Weather Summary.

However there were a few spells of good weather as Malin Head in Co Donegal enjoyed its sunniest July since 1955 with 212 hours of sunshine, almost 60pc more than usual.

Despite the frequent spells of rain, sunshine totals were above normal everywhere, particularly in coastal counties of the west and north, with the last three days the sunniest in the month.

Rainfall

The sunny south east lived up to its name, with Rosslare enjoying the most sunshine and lowest rainfall of anywhere in the country, while Birr, Co Offaly, had the least sun and Knock Airport was the coldest place.

The bad weather could be blamed on high pressure remaining well to the south of the country, allowing an uninterrupted succession of depressions and associated frontal systems to move over Ireland until nearly the end of July, Met Eireann said.
Comment: Not to mention the altered path of the jet stream which allowed the frontal systems and depressions to have such an impact.

This produced spells of rain or showers each day of the month, with some locally heavy falls causing flooding.

There were also severe thunderstorms and reports of tornadoes in some areas on a number of days, with between 14 and 25 wet days recorded, well up on normal.

Hail, fog and some very very strong winds were also recorded on a number of occasions.