A drought lasting 16 days was recorded in Co. Cork in January, according to data from Met Éireann.
The only “absolute drought” in January was recorded at Moore Park, Co. Cork between Thursday January 4, and Friday, January 19, lasting 16 consecutive days.
According to Met Éireann, an absolute drought is a period of 15 or more consecutive days, where none of the days saw 0.2 mm or more of precipitation.
This was detailed in the latest Met Éireann climate statement published today (Friday, February 2), which provided an account of the weather in January 2024.
The statement detailed that the fourth week of the month “brought the wettest and windiest period of the month,” referring to an intense North Atlantic jet stream that brought two storms, Isha and Jocelyn.
Nearly all of the 14 weather stations across Ireland saw their rainfall totals below their 1981-2010 long-term average (LTA) for the month of January, according to the national forecaster.
The highest daily rainfall total recorded last month was 36.2 mm at Claremorris, Co. Mayo on January 21 during storm Isha (its highest daily fall for January since 1992).
Nine stations in the midlands, south and east had dry spells between Wednesday, January 3 and Friday, January 19 that lasted between 16 and 17 days.
A dry spell is a period of 15 or more consecutive days to none of which is credited 1.0 mm or more of precipitation.
January weather
The highest temperature of the month, 15.4 °C at Belmullet, Co. Mayo was its highest maximum temperature for January on record (length 67 years).
Moore Park recorded its coldest January since 2011, as did Valentia Observatory in Co. Kerry.
Four icing days were reported during January. An icing day is when the daily maximum air temperature stays below 0 °C.
Three of these reports were recorded on Sunday, January 7 at Moore Park, Co. Cork, Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan and Gurteen, Co. Tipperary and one on Thursday, January 18 at Gurteen.
All stations reported air and ground frost during the month. The number of days with ground frost ranged from ten days at both Dublin Airport and Malin Head, Co. Donegal to 22 days at Moore Park, Co. Cork.