Twelve of Ireland’s weather stations reported record-breaking levels of rainfall in July, according to preliminary weather data from Met Éireann.
Athenry, Co Galway; Malin Head, Co Donegal; and Dunsany, Co Meath, were among the wettest places as end-of-month data shows Ireland had 217 per cent of the expected amount of rainfall based on long-term average data from 1981 to 2010.
The data shows that 17 of the primary weather stations operated by Met Éireann recorded more than twice the amount of rainfall seen in an average July.
The Phoenix Park weather station in Dublin broke an 82-year record by recording 149.1mm of rainfall during the month, some 271 per cent of the average. Shannon Airport broke its previous highest level of rainfall set 77 years ago, with 155mm of rain over the month, more than double its average for July.
Dunsany reported three times the average level of rainfall during the month with 184.5mm of rain falling, breaking a record set 59 years ago.
Athenry and Moore Park, Co Cork, also saw about 250 per cent of their average rainfall for July. Ballyhaise in Co Cavan, Belmullet in Co Mayo and Malin Head also experienced record-breaking levels of rain last month.
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No let-up for Knock
It rained for 37 days in a row at Knock airport in Co Mayo. The streak of days with more than 0.2mm of rain per day lasted until July 23rd. This was the same day that Dunsany observatory’s streak of 15 days in a row with very wet weather ended, with more than 1mm falling in each of these days.
Met Éireann said the day with the provisionally highest recorded amount of rain was July 22nd. That Saturday saw 41.6mm of rainfall at Dunsany, with Oakpark in Co Carlow a close second place (41.2mm on the day).
The wettest place in July was at Met Éireann’s automatic weather station in Raphoe, Co Donegal, which recorded 76.4mm of rain on a day when the county experienced flash flooding. The flooding led to road closures in Raphoe and in the surrounding villages, and a yellow rainfall warning was issued for the area.
The record levels of rainfall have been attributed to “a period of low-pressure systems drifting across the country”.
“These systems brought convective rain through the month,” Met Éireann climatologist Paul Moore told The Irish Times.
Mr Moore said the weather would “stay unsettled for the next week with no let-up in rainfall”. However, there was potential for nicer weather to come later in the month.