Dublin—Dublin Airport recently experienced 11 consecutive days without sunshine, breaking a record that had stood since March 1969. From Saturday, February 8, to Tuesday, February 18, the airport recorded zero hours of sunshine, surpassing the previous record of 11 days set in 1969. The sun finally reappeared on Wednesday, February 19.
Meteorological Factors Behind the Extended Cloud Cover
According to Met Éireann meteorologist Paul Moore, the prolonged period of overcast skies was caused by a combination of high and low-pressure systems affecting Ireland’s weather patterns.
- On February 6, a high-pressure system over Ireland shifted toward southern Scandinavia, creating a cold easterly airflow across the country.
- This air mass, moving over the North Sea and Irish Sea, carried moisture and cloud cover, leading to persistently cloudy conditions, particularly along Ireland’s eastern coast.
- A low-pressure system to the south further contributed to this pattern, reinforcing the northeasterly flow that sustained the cloud cover.
From February 12 to February 18, the wind patterns shifted slightly southeastward, making Ireland a weather battleground between:
- Cold, stable air from the east (Scandinavia and Europe)
- Atlantic weather fronts from the west
However, high-pressure systems over Europe and Scandinavia blocked Atlantic weather fronts from advancing further east, keeping the cloud cover in place.
Adding to this, a cold air plunge in the United States intensified the jet stream, which in turn disrupted weather patterns over the Atlantic Ocean. This led to:
- Increased cloudiness
- Less sunshine
- More wind and rain
Despite these overcast conditions, rainfall remained relatively low, with cloud cover being the dominant feature of this weather event.
Ireland’s Sunshine Patterns
Ireland typically receives between 1,100 and 1,600 hours of sunshine per year. The sunniest months are May and June, when most parts of the country average 5 to 6.5 hours of sunshine per day. The southeast of Ireland receives the most sunshine, often exceeding 7 hours per day in early summer.
In contrast, December is the darkest month, with:
- Northern regions receiving an average of one hour of sunshine per day
- Southeastern regions experiencing around two hours per day
On an annual basis, most areas receive sunshine for an average of three to four hours per day.
Historical Records of Sunless Periods in Ireland
Since 1941, several Irish weather stations have recorded at least 10 consecutive days without sunshine. However, the longest periods on record occurred in:
- Belmullet, County Mayo (September 1–15, 1956) – 15 consecutive days without sunshine
- Cork Airport (December 22, 2018 – January 7, 2019) – 15 consecutive days without sunshine
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