Dunsany in Co. Meath had its driest March on record for 61 years last month, according to Met Éireann today (April 2).

Close behind it was Mace Head in Co. Galway, which also had their driest March for 20 years, according to Met Éireann's latest Climate Statement.

Meanwhile, Ballyhaise, Co.Cavan had its driest March since 1953 while Gurteen, Co. Tipperary had its driest March since 1961 and Dublin Airport last month had its driest March since 1990.

Teagasc has previously highlighted that changes in Irish weather patterns will require "adaptation strategies to be developed" as farmers deal with the challenges that this presents.

According to Dr. Elodie Ruelle, overall annual grass yield is predicted to slowly increase.

But she has also warned that the "seasonality of the growth will change with an increase in the winter and spring months and a decrease, due to water deficit and increase temperature, in the summer and autumn months".

Overall Met Éireann highlighted that March 2025 was "very mild and dry".

"High pressure dominated through most of the month with weak steering currents aloft," the national meteorological service stated.

The average national temperature for March 2025 was 8.55 °C, which is 1.42 °C above the most recent 1991-2020 long-term average and 2.09 °C above the 1961-1990 average.

"March 2025 was the eight warmest on record since 1900 and the warmest since 2012," Met Éireann added.

Provisional rainfall data suggests last month averaged at 36.2 mm

The wettest March on record was still in 2023 and the driest March was in 1944 - 81 years ago.

Met Éireann's latest Climate Statement also detailed that temperatures were significantly above average everywhere last month

Analysis showed that:

19.0 °C was the highest maximum for March at Mount Dillon, Co, Roscommon since 2012 and the highest March maximum at any stations since 2017;
13 stations had their warmest March since 2012 and twelve stations had their warmest March since 2017.

Separately the number of days with ground frost ranged from three days at Sherkin Island, Co. Cork to 19 days at Phoenix Park, Co. Dublin.

The latest Climate Statement shows that the highest number of daily sunshine hours recorded in March was 11.3 hours at Belmullet, Co. Mayo, while the number of dull days ranged from four days at Dublin Airport to nine days at a few stations.

Met Éireann added: "All available sunshine totals were above their long term average.

"Monthly sunshine totals ranged from 115.8 hours at Cork Airport, Co Cork to 154.4 hours at Dublin Airport, Co. Dublin," it stated.