January’s rainfall was almost twice the average in Dublin

Dublin had the wettest January since 1948 with almost twice – 189 percent – the long term average recorded at the Dublin airport.

That is according to Met Éireann which said nearly half of the rainfall recorded at the airport in January, fell between January 05 and 09th.

Overall the wettest days across the country were January 1st; 5th; 9th and 26th while the most rainfall recorded in a day was noted at Valentia Observatory in Co Kerry on January 26th, with 37 mm.

The weather station at Cork airport recorded its wettest January since 1988 with almost double the average rainfall, or 192 percent of its long term average values.

Co Clare reported its wettest January in 11 years, with the greatest rainfall on January 26th, when 23.4 mm was recorded.

The number of “very wet days” , days with more then 10mm of rainfall ranged from just one at Shannon Airport and Gurteen, Co Tipperary, to 10 at Valentia.

Mean air temperatures were all on or above average, with Dublin’s Phoenix Park up 1.1 degrees centigrade at 6.1 degrees. The highest air temperature in January was recorded at Dublin airport, with 15.2 degrees on January 24th - the highest since 1988.

About half of the Met Éireann weather stations across the State recorded their highest January temperatures in seven to 18 years. Malin Head Co Donegal recorded its highest January temperature since 1960, 14.5 degrees. mean air temperatures were on average at Markree castle Co Sligo, but up a half a degree centigrade at Ireland West Airport, in Knock Co Mayo. Mean temperatures were up 09 degrees at Sherkin Island.

Storm Gertrude on January 28th and 29th brought the month’s highest windspeed with the highest 10 minute mean of 98 km/h, and gusts of 130km/h at Malin Head. Elsewhere severe gales were reported across the country on 26th, 29th and 30th.

Monthly total sunshine hours ranged from 29.5 hours at Valentia 66.4 hours at Dublin Airport. The highest daily sunshine was 7 hours recorded at the airport on January 15th. The highest number of dull days, with less than half an hour of sunshine, was recorded at Knock, with 19 dull days.