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LAST UPDATE | 3 Mar
DUBLIN AIRPORT EXPERIENCED its wettest February on record last month.
Met Éireann today published its climate statement for February and last month was the 19th wettest February nationally, with most stations recording totals well above their long-term averages.
The first two thirds of February saw a continuation of the pattern that dominated the second half of January, which resulted in another very wet month for the South and particularly the East of the country, with the West and Northwest drier.
There was particularly heavy rainfall in the East on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 and again between Wednesday 11 and Friday 13.
The majority of monthly rainfall totals were above their long-term average (LTA).
LTAs refer to the “average” of the period from 1991-2020.
Dublin Airport recorded 133.7mm of rainfall last month, equivalent to 255% of its LTA.
On 13 February, a number of roads leading to Dublin Airport were flooded due to heavy downpours.
Dublin Airport today confirmed that its South Runway will be closed for three days next week for urgent repairs arising from the “recent exceptionally heavy rainfall at Dublin Airport”.
The South Runway will close from 9am on Monday, 9 March until 9am on Thursday, 12 March.
During this period, all aircraft operations will take place on the airport’s North Runway.
Meanwhile, weather stations at the Phoenix Park and Dunsany in Co Meath experienced their second wettest February on record.
Dunsany also experienced the highest monthly total of rainfall last month, at 149mm, equivalent to 236% of its LTA.
The highest daily rainfall total was 35.3 mm at Claremorris, Co Mayo on Thursday 12, and this was also its highest daily rain fall for February on record.
The number of “rain days” meanwhile ranged from 21 days at Markree, Co Sligo to 27 days at both Roche’s Point, Co Cork and Knock Airport, Co Mayo.
A rain day is a day with 0.2 mm or more of rainfall.
The number of “wet days” – a day with 1mm of rainfall or more – ranged from 15 at Markree, Co Sligo to 23 at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry.
The number of very wet days – 10mm or rainfall or more – ranged from zero days at a few stations to five days at Newport, Co Mayo.
Meanwhile, all monthly sunshine totals were below their LTA.
Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin saw its dullest February on record, recording 37 hours of sunshine.
Monthly sunshine totals ranged from 36.6 hours at Dublin Airport, its dullest February since 1947, to 56.8 hours at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry.
The number of dull days – a day with less than half an hour of sunshine – ranged from 11 days at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry to 15 days at Dublin Airport.
Elsewhere, all mean air temperatures across the country were above their LTA for the month.
Mean temperatures for the month ranged from 5.7 °C at Knock Airport to 9.1 °C at Valentia Observatory.
The month’s highest temperature was reported at Moore Park, Co Cork on Monday 23 and Wednesday 25 with a temperature of 14.8 °C.
The month’s lowest air minimum was recorded both on Saturday 14 at Markree, Co Sligo and Athenry, Co Galway with -5.2 °C.
All stations reported ground frost during the month, with the number of days with ground frost ranging from two at Sherkin Island, Co Cork to 11 at both Mullingar, Co Westmeath and Athenry.
More than half of stations reported air frost, ranging from zero days at Mace Head, Co Galway to nine days at Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon.
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