Driest September weather in most places since 2002

AFTER A soggy summer, September has turned out to be exceptionally dry much to the relief of farmers in particular.

Rainfall was, in most places, about 40 per cent of normal, but most of that fell in the first week when it was extremely wet.

Since then it has been almost completely dry except for a spell of heavy rain in the north and north-west.

Only Valentia in Co Kerry recorded any substantial rainfall during the month with 74 per cent of the average.

Birr, Claremorris and Mullingar recorded 40 per cent of their average monthly total. At Casement Aerodrome in Dublin it was 43 per cent.

Overall, it was the driest September in most places since 2002 and the driest at Claremorris for almost 20 years.

Since most of the rainfall was concentrated in the early part of the month, the number of rain days was dramatically down on other years.

Most places had between four and 10 wet days. The average for the month was between 12 and 17 wet days.

Temperatures and sunshine levels were about normal and there was a particularly fine spell in the middle of the month. The highest temperature was 21.9°C on September 13th at Shannon airport.

“We had some very wet weather up to the eighth of the month and very little after that. Some of our stations were almost dry throughout that period. The soils that had been at saturation level were able to dry out very well,” said Peter Lennon of Met Éireann’s climate section.

An IFA spokesman said the turnaround in the weather after a bad summer and early part of September had made a “dramatic difference” to the saving of the harvest.

“A lot was done to clear the backlog which was building through August and early September. What was outstanding was saved,” he said.