Cork weather station records highest February mean wind speed in 24 years

THE weather station at Cork Airport recorded its highest February mean wind speed since 1997 last month, Met Éireann’s recently published February statement has revealed.

The weather station, operated by Met Éireann, recorded a mean wind speed of 13.8 knots or 25.6km/h last month.

Gales last month occurred on numerous days with up to strong gales reported on February 13, 15, 16 and 23.

The number of days with gales ranged from zero days at the weather station at Dublin Airport to nine days at the station at Roche's Point and Malin Head.

February was also a particularly wet month, with all rainfall totals above their Long-Term Average (LTA) for the month.

Percentage of monthly rainfall values ranged from 101%, a monthly rainfall total of 96.1mm, at Finner in Donegal to 241%, a monthly rainfall total of 235.9mm at Cork Airport.

The highest daily rainfall total was 38.0mm at Moore Park in Cork - its highest daily fall for February since 2007.

The number of very wet days, constituted by a day with 10.0mm or more of rainfall, was highest in Cork and Kerry.

Whilst the weather station at Mace Head in Galway recorded only one very wet day, the weather station at Valentia Observatory in Kerry and the one at Cork Airport both recorded 10.

Cork also experienced a dull February.

The number of dull days ranged from nine days at weather stations in Donegal and Belmullet to 14 days at Cork Airport along with weather stations in Gurteen in Tipperary and Johnstown Castle in Wexford.

However, whilst February may have been a disappointing month weather-wise, current forecasts suggest a dry weekend ahead.