Driest October in 60 years in parts of the country - Met Eireann

Some parts of the country reported their driest October in a number of years, with Belmullet in Co. Mayo recording its driest October in 60 years, according to Met Eireann.

The reason behind a lot of the settled weather over Ireland in October was mainly attributed to the anticyclonic conditions extending from Scandinavia.

Shannon Airport in Co. Clare recorded its driest conditions for the month in 51 years, with a monthly rainfall of 34.7mm (34% of the Long-Term Average).

In total, over two-thirds of stations reported that it was the driest October conditions in a number of years.

The percentage of Long-Term Average (LTA) rainfall values were nearly all well below LTA, with most stations reporting less than half their normal rainfall for October.

The lowest LTA percentage rainfall was reported at Markree, Co. Sligo with 22%, a monthly total of 29.1mm.

Valentia Observatory in Co. Kerry was the only station to report a slightly above average rainfall for October with 105% of LTA, a monthly total of 186.4mm.

Over three-quarters of Valentia’s monthly rainfall was attributed to a high rainfall event in the southwest on October 3-4, when the station recorded over 150mm.

The highest daily rainfall reported in October took place on October 3 when 105.5mm of rain fell in Valentia.

This represented the stations wettest October day in 77 years and its wettest day for any month since 1980, the report shows.

Temperatures reach normal values in October

According to the monthly report for October, all but two stations reported mean air temperatures above their LTA.

The lowest mean monthly temperature was recorded in Mount Dillon, Co. Roscommon, with a value of 9.5 degrees, while the lowest air temperature, -2.5 degrees, was reported at Markree, Co. Sligo on October 25.

Meanwhile, the highest mean temperature was experienced at Sherkin Island, Co. Cork with a value of 12.4 degrees, while Shannon Airport reported the month’s maximum temperature of 18.3 degrees on October 5.

High pressure conditions keep wind speeds low

While high pressure conditions were generally dominant the month’s mean wind speeds were generally low.

Monthly mean wind speeds ranged from 8.9km/h at Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan to 25.4km/h at Malin Head, Co. Donegal.

Gale force winds were reported in parts of the country on three occasions in October, with the highest gust noted at 85km/h at both Malin Head, Co. Donegal on October 3 and Sherkin Island Co. Cork on the October 16,

The highest 10-minute mean wind speed 65km/h, was recorded at Roche’s Point, Co. Cork on October 16.