Met Eireann has revealed in its annual report that Malin Head saw the worst summer rainfall in 62 years on August 22nd – the day that flash floods devastated the north west.
The Malin Head weather station recorded 77.2 mm of rainfall in one day last August, the station’s wettest summer day in 62 years, with 63.0mm falling in a 6-hour period.
Across Ireland, Met Eireann found that the majority of annual rainfall totals were below their Long-Term Average. The first half of the year was drier than normal, with a wetter than normal second half to the year.
Malin Head also had the highest average wind speeds of the year, registering a mean of 15.1 knots (28.0 km/h) in 2017.
The highest average winds speeds for December were recorded at Malin Head too, with a monthly mean of 16.9 knots (31.3 km/h).
The highest wind gust of the month was 67 knots (124.1 km/h) reported at Malin Head. The Donegal station had the lowest number of days with ground frost in December, with 4 days of frost at Malin compared to 21 days at Dublin’s Phoenix Park.
The Met Eireann annual report charts a near-average year for temperature and rainfall apart from notable events such as the Donegal floods and Storm Ophelia.
“October was notable for storm Ophelia, an extra-tropical cyclone which made landfall on the 16th, bringing violent storm force winds to Munster, and strong gale force winds to many areas with destructive gusts widely” the report said.
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