It was the warmest January in many places since records begun, according to figures released today by Met Éireann today.
Valentia Observatory in Co Kerry recorded a mean of 9.2 degrees Celsius - the highest mean temperature for January in over a century, just below the mean of 9.3 degrees Celsius measured there in 1898.
After quite a dry first half of January, the second half of the month was wet and at times very windy. Rainfall totals were above normal over most of the country, but they were near or below normal in coastal areas of the northwest, north and east.
The figures show that average wind speeds for the month were above normal everywhere and were the highest for January for between six and nine years at most stations.
The strongest winds of the month were recorded between the 26th and 28th - Malin Head’s gust of 99 miles per hour on the 28th was the highest of the month and the highest January gust at the station since 1984.
