February 2016 was a wet month with all stations reporting above their long-term average (LTA) rainfall, while temperature wise all mean air temperatures were below their average LTAs.

The month’s highest rainfall total was at Newport, Co. Mayo with 237.6mm of rain, Met Eireann data shows.

The lowest monthly accumulation was at the Phoenix Park station in Dublin with 55.9mm.

Met Eireann says that despite well-above average rainfall totals in places it was wetter in February 2014.

The wettest days of the month were mainly February 8, 9, 16, 26 and 29 with the most rainfall in a day reported at Newport, Co. Mayo on February 9 with 56.2mm.

This rainfall total at Newport made it its wettest February day since 1960.

Valentia Observatory, Co. Kerry reported its wettest day in 34 years on February 16 with 43.6mm while Belmullet, Co. Mayo reported its wettest February day since 1992 on February 9 with 25.0mm.

The number of very wet days (days with 10mm or more) ranged from zero at Dublin (Phoenix Park) to eight at Cork Airport, the data shows.

As mentioned above, all mean air temperatures for February were below their LTAs.

Differences from LTA ranged from minus 1.1 degrees at Markree, Co. Sligo to minus 0.3 degrees at some stations in the north, northwest, west and east, Met Eireann says.

Belmullet reported its coolest February in six years with a monthly mean temperature of 6.0 degrees.

Meanwhile the warmest conditions were mainly on February 1, 20 and 21 with the month’s highest air temperature of 14.1 degrees reported at Fermoy (Moore Park), Co. Cork on February 21.

Met Eireann reports that 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 February 24.

The lowest grass minimum was minus 10.4 degrees at Carlow (Oak Park), which made it 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.

Looking at sunshine levels, totals were lowest at Knock Airport with 64 hours while Cork Airport reported the highest monthly sunshine with 84.7 hours.

Cork Airport recorded the sunniest day of the month on February 24 with 9.7 hours of sunshine.

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.

There were two named storms in February, Henry on the first of the month and Imogen a week later.

Met Eireann data shows that the highest 10-minute mean wind speed and highest gust were both recorded at Sherkin Island during Storm Imogen (on February 8) with 73 knots (135km/h) and 54 knots (100km/h), respectively, its highest February 10-minute mean wind speed since 2008.