You might have noticed that January was spectacularly wet. Well, the Met Office has confirmed our suspicions and said we have actually broken a historic rainfall record. Provisional Met Office statistics show that Northern Ireland experienced its wettest January in 149 years and the second-wettest on record.
Met Office science manager Dr Amy Doherty said: “January has been exceptionally wet because we’ve seen a very persistent Atlantic weather pattern. A strong jet stream has repeatedly steered low-pressure systems towards the UK, bringing frequent spells of rain and wind. With little opportunity for drier conditions in between, the ground has become saturated, so even moderate rainfall has had a greater impact. This succession of Atlantic systems is the main reason rainfall totals this month are well above average for many areas.”
Overall, the UK recorded 17% more rainfall than the long-term meteorological average for January. Northern Ireland recorded 70% more than its January average, making it the second wettest January since the series began in 1836 and the wettest in 149 years, surpassed only by January 1877.
Unfortunately, there will be no let-up in the rainy days, as the forecast for the next two weeks is, you guessed it, more rain. Combine that with the miserable dark grey skies, and unless bad news, we are all suffering some kind of collective seasonal affective disorder.
Maybe it’s time to consider booking a holiday to Spain or Portugal.
Managing Editor of Slugger O’Toole. I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not a member of any political party. When not stuck in front of a screen, I am a parkrun Run Director.
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