Last month was the sunniest May on record at Valentia Observatory since 1961, 64 years ago.
That's according to Met Éireann's provisional weather statement for May 2025.
The national meteorological service is reporting that last month was dominated by blocking high pressure for the first three weeks and Atlantic low pressure in the final week, resulting in mild, dry and sunny weather overall.
Valentia Observatory experienced the most sunshine in the country in a single day, with 15.2 hours of sun recorded on Sunday, 18th May.
The sunniest days there were between the 3rd and 6th of May and between the 10th and 21st.
However, Valentia also had the highest number of dull days in Ireland in May at five.
In total, it experienced 273 hours of sunshine across the whole month.
Maximum temperatures at the south Kerry observatory ranged from approximately 14°C to 22°C, peaking on the 14th and 15th May.
Minimum temperatures ranged from roughly 5°C to 14°C, bottoming out between the 4th and 6th May
Met Éireann also reports that the temperature at Valentia Observatory was 1.4°C above the 1991–2020 long-term average.
This was in the mid-range nationally with most stations reporting between 1.1°C and 2.0°C above the LTA.
56% of the usual amount of rain fell this May in the Kerry observatory, compared to the long-term average.
Meanwhile, a marine heatwave off the South and West coasts intensified .
Data from the Irish Marine Data Buoy Observation Network (IMDBON) suggests the average monthly Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs) off the South West coast was 2.2°C higher than average for this time of year, at 14.6°C.
