LAST MONTH was the driest February for 23 years in some parts of the country, Met Éireann said yesterday.
Despite heavy rainfall recorded in the east of the country early in the month, 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 the station in Birr, Co Offaly, 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.
The country was hit by a cold snap at the beginning of February that brought heavy wintry showers of sleet and snow in some regions causing travel chaos.
Dublin airport was forced to close as snow and ice made conditions hazardous, while motorists experienced heavier than usual traffic as the cold weather made some routes hazardous.
From February 10th, milder conditions replaced the falls of sleet and snow, with mainly dry weather during the second half of the month. The highest temperature recorded for the month was 12.7 degrees recorded at Dublin airport on February 23rd, while the lowest grass minimum 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 rainfall was 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.
The rainfall at the end of January caused disruption in parts of Cork, Kilkenny, Cavan and Tipperary, and forced two stages of Rally Ireland in Co Fermanagh to be abandoned.
