Periods of cold weather at the beginning and end of the month were separated by a short spell of mild, wet and windy conditions around mid-month. There were many dry days during the month and rainfall totals were below normal everywhere, by around 40% generally. It was the driest January for between 10 and 14 years in parts of the west and southwest, and since 2006 in other areas. There were between seven and 15 wetdays during the month (days with 1mm or more rainfall), well below the average for January at most stations.
Temperatures rose well above normal for a few days around midmonth, but most of the month was cold with widespread frost, which was severe at times. Mean air temperatures of between 3°C and 5.5°C were around a degree below normal everywhere, but at no station was it as cold as January of last year. There were between 15 and 19 days with air frost at inland stations, compared with the normal number for January in these areas of between nine and 11.
Sunshine totals for the month were above normal at all stations and were well above normal in the west and south. Belmullet’s total of 87 hours of sunshine was its highest for January since 1985. By far the sunniest period of the month was between the 16th and 23rd.
