TORRENTIAL RAIN during the middle of last month made it the wettest July for years in many places, especially in the west of Ireland.
In Claremorris, Co Mayo, 199mm (almost eight inches) of rain fell last month – three times the average – with 56mm falling on July 10th, making it the wettest July there since records began in 1950.
Neighbouring Belmullet’s 140mm of rain equalled the record set back in 1988.
Both July 9th and 10th were the wettest days in July, which unfortunately coincided with the Oxegen music festival in Co Kildare.
Even Dublin airport, which had 79mm of rain, recorded 50 per cent more rain than usual for the month.
The torrential rain did not cause flooding because the year previous to July had been exceptionally dry, leading to high soil moisture deficits.
It was also an exceptionally dull month. Valentia Observatory in Co Kerry had more sun in January than it did in July, recording one of its five dullest Julys on record, with just 85 hours of sunshine for the entire month.
The one saving grace of the month was temperatures that were slightly above average everywhere.
Met Éireann forecaster Peter Lennon said July was the first month this year that saw the usual pattern of Atlantic depressions, after a long period of high pressure during the spring and early summer.
“The west and the south got the worst of it this time and that unfortunately is what happens when you have Atlantic depressions,” he said.
Unfortunately, the forecast for August to date is not much better. The rest of the week will be showery, especially on Friday, although it should get warm and wet for the weekend. Conditions will remain unsettled.
