FEBRUARY
2016
Wet and cool everywhere
Rainfall: above average rainfall everywhere
All stations reported above their Long-Term Average (LTA) rainfall. Percentage of LTA rainfall values
ranged from 109% (lowest monthly accumulation of 55.9 mm) at Dublin (Phoenix Park) to 224% (monthly
accumulation of 167.2 mm) at Roche’s Point, Co Cork. The month’s highest rainfall total was at Newport,
Co Mayo with 237.6 mm (188% of LTA). Despite well-above average rainfall totals in places it was wetter in
February 2014. The wettest days of the month were mainly the 8th, 9th, 16th, 26th and 29th with the most
rainfall in a day reported at Newport, Co Mayo on the 9th with 56.2mm, its wettest February day since
1960. Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry reported its wettest day in 34 years on the 16th with 43.6 mm while
Belmullet, Co Mayo reported its wettest February day since 1992 on the 9th with 25.0 mm. The number of
very wet days (days with 10 mm or more) ranged from zero at Dublin (Phoenix Park) to eight at Cork Airport.
Temperature: monthly mean air temperatures all below LTA
All mean air temperatures for February were below their LTAs. Differences from LTA ranged from -1.1°C
at Markree, Co Sligo (mean temperature of 4.5°C) to -0.3°C at some stations in the North, Northwest,
West and East. Belmullet reported its coolest February in six years with a monthly mean temperature of
6.0°C (-0.4°C from LTA). The warmest conditions were mainly on the 1st, 20th and 21st with the month’s
highest air temperature of 14.1°C reported at Fermoy (Moore Park), Co Cork on 21st. The month’s lowest
temperatures (both air and grass) were mainly recorded during the last week of February with both the
month’s lowest air and grass minima reported on the 24th. The lowest air minimum was -5.9°C at
Mullingar, Co Westmeath, while the lowest grass minimum was -10.4°C at Carlow (Oak Park), its lowest
February grass minimum in six years. The number of days with air frost ranged from zero in southern
coastal areas to 13 at Claremorris, Co Mayo.
Sunshine: sunniest day at Cork Airport on the 24th
Monthly sunshine totals were lowest at Knock Airport with 64.0 hrs (daily mean 2.2 hrs, 106% of LTA).
Cork Airport reported the highest monthly sunshine with 84.7 hrs (daily mean 2.9 hrs, 122% of LTA), 9.7
hours of this reported as the month’s sunniest day on the 24th, its sunniest February day since 2004 and its
third sunniest since the station opened in 1962. The number of dull days (days with less than 0.5 hours of sun)
ranged from eight at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry* to 15 at both Knock Airport and Shannon Airport,
Co Clare.
Wind: two named storms; Henry and Imogen
Monthly mean wind speeds ranged from 6.8 knots (12.6 km/h) at Fermoy (Moore Park), Co Cork to
18.1 knots (33.5 km/h) at Mace Head, Co Galway. Two named storms occurred; Henry on Feb 1st and
Imogen on Feb 7th and 8th. The highest 10-minute mean wind speed and highest gust were both recorded
at Sherkin Island during Storm Imogen (on the 8th) with 73 knots (135 km/h) and 54 knots
(100 km/h), respectively, its highest February 10-minute mean wind speed since 2008.
Rainfall
EXTREME VALUES AT SYNOPTIC STATIONS
Highest total: 237.6 mm (187% of LTA) at Newport, Co Mayo
Lowest total: 55.9 mm (108% of LTA) at Dublin (Phoenix Park)
Highest daily rainfall: 56.2 mm at Newport, Co Mayo on 9th (its wettest February day since 1960)
Temperature
Highest mean monthly temperature: 7.0°C at Sherkin Island, Co Cork (-0.5°C from LTA)
Lowest mean monthly temperature: 3.9°C at Knock Airport, Co Mayo (-0.3°C from LTA)
Highest air temperature: 14.1°C at Fermoy (Moore Park), Co Cork on 21st
Lowest air temperature: -5.9°C at Mullingar, Co Westmeath on 24th
Lowest grass minimum temperature: -10.4°C at Carlow (Oak Park) on 24th (its lowest for February since 2010)
Sunshine
Highest monthly total: 84.7 hrs (daily mean 2.9 hrs, 122% of LTA) at Cork Airport
Lowest monthly total: 64.0 hrs (daily mean 2.2 hrs, 106% of LTA) at Knock Airport, Co Mayo
Highest daily sunshine: 9.7 hrs at Cork Airport on 24th (its highest for February since 2004)
FEBRUARY 2016 DAILY VALUES AT SELECTED SYNOPTIC STATIONS
DAILY (midnight to midnight UTC) RAINFALL
44
DAILY (midnight to midnight UTC) SUNSHINE HOURS
DAILY (midnight to midnight UTC) MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES
DAILY (midnight to midnight UTC) MINIMUM TEMPERATURES
l
Valentia Observatory*
l
Dublin Airport
l
Belmullet*
RAINFALL (% OF AVERAGE FOR PERIOD 1981-2010)
Athenry, Co Galway
Ballyhaise, Co Cavan
Belmullet, Co Mayo
Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin
Claremorris, Co Mayo
Cork Airport
Dublin Airport
Dunsany, Co Meath
Finner, Co Donegal
Gurteen, Co Tipperary
Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford
Knock Airport, Co Mayo
Mace Head, Co Galway
Malin Head, Co Donegal
Markree, Co Sligo
Fermoy (Moore Park), Co Cork
Mountdillon, Co Roscommon
Mullingar, Co Westmeath
Newport, Co Mayo
Oak Park, Co Carlow
Phoenix Park, Co Dublin
Roche’s Point, Co Cork
Shannon Airport, Co Clare
Sherkin Island, Co Cork
Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry
TEMPERATURE (°C) (DIFFERENCE FROM AVERAGE FOR PERIOD 1981-2010)
Athenry, Co Galway
Ballyhaise, Co Cavan
Belmullet, Co Mayo
Casement Aerodrome, Co. Dublin
Claremorris, Co Mayo
Cork Airport
Dublin Airport
Dunsany, Co Meath
Finner, Co Donegal
Gurteen, Co Tipperary
Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford
Knock Airport, Co Mayo
Mace Head, Co Galway
Malin Head, Co Donegal
Markree, Co Sligo
Fermoy (Moore Park), Co Cork
Mountdillon, Co Roscommon
Mullingar, Co Westmeath
Newport, Co Mayo
Oak Park, Co Carlow
Phoenix Park, Co Dublin
Roche’s Point, Co Cork
Shannon Airport, Co Clare
Sherkin Island, Co Cork
Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry
SUNSHINE (TOTAL NUMBER OF MONTHLY SUNSHINE HOURS)
Belmullet, Co Mayo*
Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin
Cork Airport
Dublin Airport
Knock Airport, Co Mayo
Malin Head, Co Donegal*
Shannon Airport, Co Clare
Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry*
Issued by the Climatology and Observations Division of Met Éireann on Wednesday, 2nd March 2016.
This report is based on available preliminary data from 25 principal weather stations operated by Met Éireann.
Synoptic station data is midnight to midnight UTC.
Long-Term Averages (LTAs) and “average” refer to the period 1981-2010.
*Sunshine data is from the Autosol Network. LTAs for these sites are currently not used for comparison purposes.
Follow @metclimate for the latest information on the #winterstorms.
For more information, contact Met Éireann at 01-8064200 or e-mail: climate.enquiries@met.ie