Most areas saw mildest January in five years, says Met Éireann

The mainly dry settled weather continued into the New Year as most places recorded the mildest January in five years, Met Éireann has said.

Weak weather fronts passed eastwards early in the second week of the month, followed by a less stable westerly flow. But pressure intensified yet again for the third week and became centred mainly over the near continent and North Sea. This allowed a mainly southeast airflow to prevail.

Then as pressure declined, a freshening southerly flow developed at the beginning of the fourth week ahead of advancing frontal systems from the Atlantic, heralding a change to more unsettled weather for the rest of the month, Met Éireann explained in its monthly weather stats.

All rainfall totals were below average, with the majority of places reporting below half their normal rainfall for the time of year.

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Low monthly rainfall totals led to Dublin stations and stations in the east midlands reporting their driest January in 11 years.

Monthly rainfall values ranged from 30 per cent (monthly rainfall total of 31.9 mm) at Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon, to 96 per cent (the month’s highest monthly rainfall total of 167.2 mm) at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry.

All mean air temperatures were above their average with the some stations in the west, northwest and east reporting differences of over 1 degree.

Most places reported it was the mildest January in five years with the exception of Malin Head, Co Donegal, which reported a monthly mean of 6.8 degrees – its mildest January in 10 years.

The month’s highest temperature was 12.9 degrees reported at both Shannon Airport, Co Clare, and Roche’s Point, Co Cork on the 24th and 10th, respectively. The month’s lowest air temperature was recorded on the 3rd at Fermoy (Moore Park), Co Cork, with minus 5.7 degrees.

Monthly sunshine values ranged from 106 per cent (51.6 hours) at Knock Airport, Co Mayo, to 136 per cent (69.1 hours) at Shannon Airport.The highest daily sunshine was 7.7 hours reported at both Shannon Airport and Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford, on the 19th and 20th, respectively with Cork Airport having the highest monthly total at 70 hours.

Monthly mean wind speeds ranged from 5.9 knots at Fermoy to 16.6 knots at Malin Head. Both the month’s highest gust (58 knots) and 10-minute mean wind speed (45 knots) were reported at Malin Head.