LAST YEAR BROUGHT with it the strongest winds ever recorded in Ireland and record-breaking rainfall in the summer, according to Met Éireann’s 2017 annual weather review.
Unsurprisingly, Storm Ophelia was at the heart of the highest recorded winds in Irish history.
Both the year’s highest gust and 10-minute mean wind speed were reported at Roche’s Point in Cork on 16 October – the day Storm Ophelia ripped through the country.
The highest gust was 84 knots (155.6km/h), while the year’s highest 10-minute wind speed came in at 62 knots (114.8km/h).
“October was notable for Storm Ophelia, an extra-tropical cyclone which made landfall on 16 October, bringing violent storm force winds to Munster, and strong gale force winds to many areas with destructive gusts widely,” the review said.
It wasn’t just Storm Ophelia that brought with it incredible wind speeds. Storm Doris hit the country on 23 February, bringing with it widespread gales and disruption.
Prior to that, the year had started off mainly dry and mild before becoming unsettled at the end of January.
Record-breaking rainfall
The annual review notes that the first half of the year was drier than normal, however, that wasn’t the case for the latter half of the year, which was recorded as wetter than normal.
April was the driest most of the year, with the majority of weather stations reporting rainfall falling 40% below their long-term average.
September was the wettest month of the year, with the South being the worst hit area.
The review said that a significant rainfall event affected the Northwest on 22 August, where Met Éireann’s weather station at Malin Head recorded 77.2mm – the station’s wettest summer day in 62 years, with 63mm falling in a 6-hour period.
Dublin Airport was the driest place in Ireland in 2017, with 660.5mm of rain.
Meanwhile, Newport, Mayo was recorded as the wettest place, with an annual rainfall of 1,754.4mm.
Temperatures
According to Met Éireann, the first half of the year was milder than normal, whilst the second half of the year had below normal temperatures.
Sherkin Island, Cork was noted as the hottest place in the country last year, recording its highest annual mean temperature at 11.3 degrees.
Meanwhile, Knock Airport was the coldest location last year, recording its lowest annual mean temperature at 9.2 degrees.
The Phoenix Park in Dublin was recorded as the hottest day in Ireland since 1990, during 2017′s summer solstice on 21 June. Highest temperatures of 28.6 degrees were recorded in the park.
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