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Climate Page Index: (See footnote below for details on where the data on this page comes from)
1.Annual Temperature Trend 
After the dip of 2010, the mean annual temperature is back on the rise after a mild year in 2011. The table below shows the warming trend broken down month by month. So far this century most months have been warmer than 20th century figures, however December has now bucked the trend and is colder than what we experienced back in the 1960's,70's and 80's. | | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | 21st Century(2001-2011) | 4.9 | 5.3 | 6.8 | 9.4 | 11.8 | 14.5 | 15.8 | 15.7 | 13.9 | 10.9 | 7.5 | 5.0 | 20th Century(1961-1990) | 4.5 | 4.8 | 6.2 | 8.1 | 10.5 | 13.5 | 15.4 | 14.9 | 12.8 | 10.2 | 6.4 | 5.2 | 19th Century(1886-1900) | 4.1 | 4.7 | 5.7 | 8.3 | 10.9 | 14.4 | 15.2 | 14.8 | 12.9 | 8.9 | 6.7 | 4.8 |
Annual Rainfall Trend
The late 1950's and early 1960's were wet but thereafter rainfall had been pretty steady. 2002 was a very wet year. After 2005, annual rainfall has increased steadily, with 2009 being the wettest year since records commenced in 1958. Since though both 2010 and 2011 have been dry years.
2.Effect on Plants Phenology is the study of the times of recurring natural phenomena. For more about phenology in Ireland, look at the Bio Diversity Ireland Website . In recent years I've kept note of the arrival en masse of two common Spring flowers - the King Alfred type daffodil and the large cherry blossom. In table below this is compared with expected date circa 1980. Year | Daffodil | Cherry | 1980 | Mar 01 | May 01 | 2005 | Feb 10 | Apr 12 | 2006 | Feb 28 | Apr 23 | 2007 | Feb 23 | Apr 14 | 2008 | Feb 20 | Apr 24 | 2009 | Mar 01 | Apr 18 | 2010 | Mar 18 | Apr 26 | 2011 | Feb 28 | Apr 10 |
The early Spring in 2005 is well reflected. But contrast 2005 with 2010, the daffodils emerged at least 3 weeks behind typical 20th century dates, as a direct result of the frosty cold winter. The warm April in 2011 ensured that the cherry blossoms came out very early.Temperatures picked up considerably through April 2010, enabling the large cherry to blossom a little before May 1st (but still was latest date in passed 6 years). 2010 excepted, mild/early springs have been very much characteristic of the 21st century. Top
3.Extremes of Temperature in Kilkenny City Area | | Abs Max
| Year
| Site
| Abs Min
| Year
| Site
| January
| 14.4 | 1898 | Kilkenny Castle
| -14.1 | 1979 | Dunningstown Rd
| February | 16.1 | 1891 | Kilkenny Castle
| -12.2 | 1900 | Kilkenny Castle
| March | 19.2 | 2005 | Dunningstown Rd
| -8.9 | 1886 | Kilkenny Castle | April | 23.5 | 1975 | Dunningstown Rd | -5.4 | 1968 | Dunningstown Rd | May | 26.0 | 1989 | Dunningstown Rd | -3.7 | 1967 | Dunningstown Rd | June | 33.3* | 1887 | Kilkenny Castle
| 0.5 | 1962/85 | Dunningstown Rd | July | 31.4 | 1983 | Dunningstown Rd | 2.3 | 1965 | Dunningstown Rd | August | 30.8 | 1995 | Dunningstown Rd | 1.2 | 1964 | Dunningstown Rd | September | 26.6 | 1991 | Dunningstown Rd | -2.2 | 1893 | Kilkenny Castle | October | 23.7 | 1959 | Dunningstown Rd | -4.8 | 1993 | Dunningstown Rd | November | 17.5 | 2007 | Dunningstown Rd | -9.6 | 2010 | Greenshill | December | 15.5 | 1994 | Dunningstown Rd | -12.1 | 2010 | Greenshill |
* This temperature is regarded as the highest recorded in Ireland. Kilkenny Castle temps are all converted from whole fahrenheit figures. Top 4.Climate Statistics for 2012 Temperatures from liquid-in-glass thermometers(C) and Rainfall (mm) (Departures from norm 1961-1990)Colour Code -1.6C or more below (Cold) | -1.5 C to -0.6C below (Cool) | -0.5C to +0.5C (Near Normal) | +0.6 C to +1.5C (Mild) | +1.6 C or more above (Warm) |
2012
| Mean Temp | Dep. Norm | Min Temp | Max Temp | Rainfall (in mm) | % of Norm | Days < 0 C | Days with Snow Lying | January
| 7.1 | +2.6 | -1.7 | 12.8 | 68 | 78 | 2 | 0 | February | | | | | | | | | March | | | | | | | | | April | | | | | | | | | May | | | | | | | | | June | | | | | | | | | July | | | | | | | | | August | | | | | | | | | September | | | | | | | | | October | | | | | | | | | November | | | | | | | | | December | | | | | | | | | Annual | | | | | | | | |
4. Climate Statistics for 2011 Top
2011
| Mean Temp | Dep. Norm | Min Temp | Max Temp | Rainfall (in mm) | % of Norm | Days < 0 C | Days with Snow Lying | January
| 3.2 | -1.3 | -6.1 | 12.1 | 62 | 74 | 18 | 1 | February | 6.9 | +2.1 | -3.9 | 14.8 | 102 | 156 | 8 | 0 | March | 6.8 | +0.6 | -3.7 | 17.6 | 17 | 28 | 12 | 0 | April | 11.6 | +3.5 | 1.0 | 22.8 | 33 | 63 | 0 | 0 | May | 11.9 | +1.4 | 2.4 | 17.5 | 51 | 83 | 0 | 0 | June | 12.9 | -0.6 | 1.6 | 25.5 | 72 | 142 | 0 | 0 | July | 15.1 | -0.3 | 5.8 | 22.6 | 58 | 111 | 0 | 0 | August | 14.3 | -0.6 | 4.8 | 21.6 | 31 | 41 | 0 | 0 | September | 14.1 | +1.3 | 4.9 | 21.2 | 80 | 111 | 0 | 0 | October | 12.1 | +1.9 | 0.2 | 20.5 | 103 | 120 | 0 | 0 | November | 9.3 | +2.9 | -2.9 | 15.9 | 101 | 136 | 4 | 0 | December | 5.9 | +0.7 | -3.6 | 13.8 | 61 | 70 | 8 | 1 | Annual | 10.3 | +0.9 | -6.1 | 25.5 | 771 | 94 | 50 | 2 |
5. Climate Statistics for 2010
Top
2010
| Mean Temp | Dep. Norm | Min Temp | Max Temp | Rainfall (in mm) | % of Norm | Days < 0 C | Days with Snow Lying | January
| 1.5 | -3.0 | -11.1 | 10.8 | 71 | 87 | 21 | 6 | February | 3.2 | -1.6 | -4.7 | 9.9 | 47 | 72 | 18 | 1 | March | 5.8 | -0.4 | -6.4 | 15.4 | 67 | 107 | 15 | 2 | April | 9.3 | +1.2 | -0.6 | 20.7 | 49 | 95 | 5 | | May | 11.5 | +1.0 | -0.4 | 25.6 | 59 | 96 | 1 | | June | 15.8 | +2.3 | 5.8 | 23.8 | 70 | 139 | | | July | 16.4 | +1.0 | 7.8 | 24.2 | 111 | 210 | | | August | 15.0 | +0.1 | 3.0 | 24.8 | 28 | 40 | | | September | 14.0 | +1.2 | 3.0 | 22.2 | 134 | 184 | | | October | 10.2 | +0.0 | -3.0 | 21.6 | 94 | 110 | 3 | | November | 5.1 | -1.3 | -9.6 | 16.7 | 87 | 118 | 12 | 4 | December | -0.2 | -5.4 | -12.1 | 11.0 | 37 | 42 | 24 | 23 | Annual | 9.0 | -0.4 | -12.1 | 25.6 | 854 | 104 | 99 | 36 |
6. Climate Statistics for 2009 Top
2009
| Mean Temp | Dep. Norm | Min Temp | Max Temp | Rainfall
| % of Norm | Days < 0 C | Days with Snow Lying | January
| 3.8 | -0.7 | -7.7 | 12.0 | 138 | 159 | 14 | 2 | February | 4.7 | -0.1 | -3.2 | 11.7 | 17 | 26 | 13 | 3 | March | 7.3 | +1.1 | -1.2 | 15.4 | 30 | 48 | 5 | | April | 9.2 | +1.1 | -0.6 | 17.8 | 114 | 221 | 2 | | May | 11.9 | +1.4 | 3.1 | 23.0 | 63 | 102 | | | June | 15.3 | +1.8 | 4.6 | 26.7 | 75 | 149 | | | July | 15.3 | -0.1 | 7.5 | 21.9 | 158 | 300 | | | August | 15.7 | +0.8 | 5.7 | 22.1 | 105 | 149 | | | September | 13.4 | +0.6 | 3.1 | 22.0 | 35 | 48 | | | October | 11.6 | +1.4 | 1.4 | 17.8 | 155 | 181 | | | November | 7.6 | +1.2 | -1.1 | 14.1 | 182 | 246 | 3 | | December | 2.8 | -2.4 | -5.9 | 12.3 | 70 | 80 | 17 | 1 | Annual | 9.9 | +0.5 | -7.7 | 26.7 | 1142 | 156 | 54 | 6 |
7. Climate Statistics for 2008 Top
2008
| Mean Temp | Dep. Norm
| Min Temp
| Max Temp | Rainfall
| % of Norm
| Days < 0 C | Days with Snow Lying | January
| 6.2 | +1.7 | -2.3 | 13.8 | 142 | 163 | 9 | 1 | February | 5.7 | +0.9 | -6.7 | 14.4 | 27 | 41 | 13 | | March | 6.3 | +0.1 | -2.0 | 12.8 | 89 | 142 | 5 | 1 | April | 8.4 | +0.3 | -0.8 | 17.7 | 23 | 45 | 4 | | May | 13.4 | +2.9 | 1.9 | 23.3 | 37 | 60 | | | June | 13.7 | +0.2 | 4.7 | 23.4 | 113 | 224 | | | July | 15.8 | +0.4 | 5.9 | 25.1 | 142 | 269 | | | August | 15.8 | +0.9 | 6.7 | 22.3 | 112 | 158 | | | September | 12.7 | -0.1 | 3.6 | 19.2 | 76 | 105 | | | October | 8.9 | -1.3 | -2.8 | 16.4 | 101 | 118 | 3 | | November | 7.1 | +0.7 | -4.2 | 13.7 | 52 | 70 | 4 | | December | 4.2 | -1.0 | -4.5 | 12.6 | 62 | 70 | 14 | | Annual | 9.9 | +0.5 | -6.7 | 25.1 | 976 | 119 | 52 | 2 |
After a mild start and record breaking warm May, a cool Sep-Dec period brought temps back a bit. Overall the year was still the coldest for 7 years despite being just over 0.5 above the 1961-90 norm. The summer was exceptionally wet. See also Met Éireann's excellent summer 2008 report http://www.met.ie/climate/rainfall.asp Note re climate data: We in Kilkenny do not have the luxury of long term (>100 yrs) data from any one climate site. Nevertheless I have combined the data from the three sites 1) Kilkenny Castle 1886-1900 2) Kilkenny Met Station 1957-2008 3) My own site 2007+ . All three sites are within a radius of 1km and an 11 month comparison between my site and Kilkenny Met revealed only a -0.1C difference. Looking at the Kilkenny Castle average and extreme data, I would not expect much appreciable differerences here either, to the other two sites. Top
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