Last month was the driest February for up to 23 years in some places in Ireland, Met Éireann said today.
Despite heavy rainfall recorded in the east of the country early in the month, rainfall totals were below normal for most areas, while overall temperatures for the month were above average.
The lowest rainfall in 15 years was recorded at a station in Birr, where 15.6mm fell. The highest daily rainfall, 29.2mm, was recorded at Dublin Airport on February 3rd, the highest daily total in February since 1979.
After a cold start to the month, February temperatures were above average, with some areas in the west of the country recording temperatures more than a degree higher.
From February 10th, milder conditions replaced the falls of sleet and snow throughout Ireland, with mainly dry weather during the second half of the month.
The highest temperature recorded for the month was 12.7 degrees Celsius recorded at Dublin Airport on February 23rd, while the lowest ground temperature was -10.8 degrees at Birr on February 6th. The lowest average temperature for the month was 4.5 degrees at Knock Airport, while Valentia Observatory recorded the highest at 7 degrees.
The increased temperatures follow the coldest winter for up to 18 years. Average temperatures dipped below normal in December, while seasonal rainfalls were also below normal for the three-month period.
This was despite the heavy rains in January, which caused flooding in some parts of the country. On January 30th, Cork Airport recorded its highest daily rainfall in 18 years, with 50.1mm falling.
