Page last updated Mon 1 Sep 2025

Desmond observed record rainfall

There were 11 named storms during the first storm naming season, 2015/16, which ran from Tuesday 1 September 2015 to Wednesday 31 August 2016 (inclusive). Back-to-back systems brought repeated flooding, coastal damage and storm force winds.

There was a rapid succession of named storms affecting Ireland between November 2015 and March 2016. Abigail in November brought storm force winds and waves close to 13 m off the Cork coast. Within days, Barney swept through with gusts up to 128 km/h and seas approaching 15 m again off the Cork coast. Clodagh, at the end of that month, kept the pattern going with storm force winds and waves over 14 m off the Cork coast.

This storm season became defined not just by wind but also by rainfall. Storm Desmond in early December was the standout, with more than 160 mm of rain in parts of Mayo and wave heights of nearly 16 m. Eva and Frank followed later in December. Frank observed rainfall of nearly 129 mm in Kerry and a mean sea level pressure around 980 hPa.

Gertrude, Henry, and Imogen through January and early February 2016 each brought storm force winds. Imogen recorded the lowest pressure of the season at 962.6 hPa. March ended the sequence with Jake and Katie, observing either gale to storm force winds and driving heavy rainfall.

Table of extremes during the 2015/16 storm season.
Name
(Named by)
Peak Impact Date		 Highest sustained wind speed (km/h) Highest gust wind speed (km/h) Highest daily rainfall total (mm) Daily air temperatures (°C) Lowest mean sea level pressure (hPa) Highest individual wave (m)
Abigail
(Met Office)
Thu 12 Nov 2015 		Storm Force
89 km/h
(48 knots | 55 mph)
Mace Head, Co Galway
around 11am		 120 km/h
(65 knots | 75 mph)
Belmullet, Co Mayo
at 10:32am		 62.8 mm
Cummeragh Mountains (no.3), Co Kerry
on Fri 13th		 1.3°C at Knock Airport, Co Mayo to 16.9°C at Glasnevin, Co Dublin 994.7 hPa
Belmullet, Co Mayo
around 1pm		 12.8 m
Buoy M3 (off Cork coast)
around 2pm
Barney
Tue 17 Nov 2015 		Storm Force
98 km/h
(53 knots | 61 mph)
Mace Head, Co Galway
around 3pm		 128 km/h
(69 knots | 79 mph)
Shannon Airport, Co Clare
at 3:10pm		 48.9 mm
Gap Of Dunloe, Co Kerry		 0.7°C at Markree Castle, Co Sligo to 15.6°C at Glasnevin, Co Dublin 981.8 hPa
Belmullet, Co Mayo
around 2pm		 14.9 m
Buoy M3 (off Cork coast)
around 4pm
Clodagh
(Met Éireann)
Sun 29 Nov 2015 		Storm Force
89 km/h
(48 knots | 55 mph)
Mace Head, Co Galway
around 9am		 120 km/h
(65 knots | 75 mph)
Finner, Co Donegal
at 3:59pm		 61.5 mm
Gap Of Dunloe, Co Kerry
on Mon 30th		 0.4°C at Slieve Bloom Mountains (Nealstown), Co Laois to 15.4°C at Dungarvan (Carriglea), Co Waterford 984.2 hPa
Malin Head, Co Donegal
around 9am		 14.6 m
Buoy M3 (off Cork coast)
around 1pm
Desmond
Fri 4 Dec 2015 		Gale Force
85 km/h
(46 knots | 53 mph)
Mace Head, Co Galway
around 6pm		 119 km/h
(64 knots | 74 mph)
Mace Head, Co Galway
at 6:11pm		 160.8 mm
Keenagh Beg, Co Mayo		 0.2°C at Annaskeagh, Co Louth to 14.8°C at Dungarvan (Carriglea), Co Waterford 987.7 hPa
Malin Head, Co Donegal
around 6pm
on Sat 5th		 15.9 m
Buoy M3 (off Cork coast)
around 1pm and 6pm
on Sat 5th
Eva
(Met Éireann)
Wed 23 Dec 2015 		Storm Force
93 km/h
(50 knots | 58 mph)
Belmullet, Co Mayo
around 3pm		 135 km/h
(73 knots | 84 mph)
Belmullet, Co Mayo
at 3:51pm		 46.7 mm
Cloone Lake (Caragh River Area), Co Kerry		 0.0°C at Ballycroy (Knockmoyleen), Co Mayo to 14.2°C at Newport, Co Mayo 987.0 hPa
Malin Head, Co Donegal
around 4am
on Tue 22nd		 8.2 m
Buoy M2 (in the Irish Sea)
around 1am
on Thu 24th
Frank
(Met Office)
Wed 30 Dec 2015 		Storm Force
102 km/h
(55 knots | 63 mph)
Sherkin Island, Co Cork
around 9am		 133 km/h
(72 knots | 83 mph)
Sherkin Island, Co Cork
at 8:55am		 128.6 mm
Cloone Lake (Caragh River Area), Co Kerry
on Tue 29th		 -1.2°C at Slieve Bloom Mountains (Nealstown), Co Laois to 14.9°C at Glasnevin, Co Dublin 980.4 hPa
Belmullet, Co Mayo
around 8pm
on Tue 29th		 9.7 m
Buoy M2 (in the Irish Sea)
around 8am
Gertrude
Fri 29 Jan 2016 		Storm Force
98 km/h
(53 knots | 61 mph)
Malin Head, Co Donegal
around 5am		 130 km/h
(70 knots | 81 mph)
Malin Head, Co Donegal
at 6:47am		 65.9 mm
Gap Of Dunloe, Co Kerry
on Thu 28th		 -1.2°C at Annaskeagh, Co Louth to 13.2°C at Sligo Airport, Co Sligo 989.6 hPa
Malin Head, Co Donegal
around 5am		 5.7 m
Buoy M2 (in the Irish Sea)
around noon
Henry
Mon 1 Feb 2016 		Storm Force
94 km/h
(51 knots | 59 mph)
Malin Head, Co Donegal
around 3pm		 130 km/h
(70 knots | 81 mph)
Malin Head, Co Donegal
at 3:31pm		 24.0 mm
Lough Glencar, Co Leitrim
on Tue 2nd		 0.4°C at Knock Airport, Co Mayo to 13.3°C at Ashford (Cronykeery), Co Wicklow 992.9 hPa
Malin Head, Co Donegal
around 8am		 6.5 m
Buoy M2 (in the Irish Sea)
around noon
Imogen
(Met Éireann)
Mon 8 Feb 2016 		Storm Force
100 km/h
(54 knots | 62 mph)
Sherkin Island, Co Cork
around 0am		 135 km/h
(73 knots | 84 mph)
Sherkin Island, Co Cork
at 0:40am		 60.0 mm
Beenreagh Mountains, Co Kerry
on Sun 7th		 -1.4°C at Moore Park, Co Cork to 11.4°C at 2 stations in Cork and Kerry 962.6 hPa
Malin Head, Co Donegal
around 5am		 6.0 m
Buoy M2 (in the Irish Sea)
around 7am
Jake
(Met Éireann)
Wed 2 Mar 2016 		Storm Force
98 km/h
(53 knots | 61 mph)
Mace Head, Co Galway
around 3am		 133 km/h
(72 knots | 83 mph)
Mace Head, Co Galway
at 3:29am		 27.9 mm
Lough Eske, Burns Mountains, Co Donegal
on Tue 1st		 -1.4°C at Claremorris, Co Mayo to 13.4°C at 2 stations in Cork and Waterford 988.9 hPa
Malin Head, Co Donegal
around 3am		 4.2 m
Buoy M2 (in the Irish Sea)
around 6am, 5pm and 7pm
Katie
(Met Office)
Sat 26 Mar 2016 		Gale Force
80 km/h
(43 knots | 49 mph)
Mace Head, Co Galway
around 2pm		 106 km/h
(57 knots | 66 mph)
Malin Head, Co Donegal
at 7:22pm		 70.0 mm
Beenreagh Mountains, Co Kerry
on Fri 25th		 -0.7°C at Mullingar, Co Westmeath to 14.7°C at Glasnevin, Co Dublin 973.7 hPa
Malin Head, Co Donegal
around 6pm		 5.2 m
Buoy M2 (in the Irish Sea)
around 4am