Storm Éowyn brought hurricane force winds and new wind speed records for Ireland according to the latest weather statement published today (Wednesday, February 5) by Met Éireann.
The provisional highest wind speeds were reported at Mace Head in Co. Galway.
Although the impact of Storm Éowyn remains very much to the fore for many people Met Éireann’s’ climate statement for January 2025 also highlights that the average national temperature last month was 5.37° – which is 0.45° below the most recent 1991-2020 long-term average.
The warmest January on record was in 1916 – 109 years ago – while the coldest January was in 1963, 62 years ago.
In general it was a cool month and the amount of rainfall which fell varied from dry in the north and northwest to progressively wetter towards the south and east.
Met Éireann outlined: “Early in the month high pressure to the west allowed a cold arctic airmass to sink south over the country, which remained in place for the first third of the month.
“Low pressure to the southwest pushed weather fronts northwest into the cold airmass over Ireland and brought heavy snow to the south midlands, south, southwest and west on Saturday (January 4 ) and Sunday (January 5) while the east saw heavy rain.
“The snow lingered on the ground for several days in places. High pressure developed to the southeast and brought milder, drier and cloudier conditions for second third of the month”.
It also detailed how the close of the month was dominated by a “powerful Atlantic jet stream” which steered several active low pressure systems towards western Europe, one of which was Storm Éowyn while another, Herminia, brought further wet and windy spells.
Met Éireann
Meanwhile according to the national meteorological service the majority of monthly rainfall totals across the country were below their 1991-2020 long-term average (LTA).
“The lowest monthly percentage rainfall was 47% (57.7 mm) of its LTA at Athenry, Co. Galway.
“In contrast, the highest was 173% (165.3 mm) at Roches Point, Co Cork,” it detailed.
The highest daily rainfall total was 37.4 mm at Valentia Observatory on January 4.
Met Éireann also highlighted that mean air temperatures were below their long-term average for the month.
Mean air temperatures ranged from -1.0° at Dublin Airport, Co. Dublin to the month’s highest temperature of 14.2° which was recorded at Finner, Co Donegal on January 13.
The month’s lowest air temperature was -7.6° which was recorded at Athenry in Co. Galway.
Separately available sunshine totals were all above their long-term average except for Casement Aerodrome in Co. Dublin which recorded its sunniest January on record – spanning 61 years.