Kerry experiences wettest September in over a decade

SEPTEMBER 2017 was the wettest September recorded by Kerry’s main observatory for over a decade according to the latest data released by Met Éireann.

The South Kerry centre recorded more than 200 millimetres of rain throughout the month, which was the highest total experienced by any of Ireland’s main observatories. It was also some 80 millimetres wetter than Valentia’s September average.

On September 2, the station endured almost 40 millimetres of rain, making it the wettest day recorded last month by any of Ireland’s main stations. For context, this was well over half of what Dublin’s Casement Aerodrome recorded for its entire month.

The observatory also recorded seven ‘very wet days’ – defined as days with more than 10 millimetres of rainfall – the highest total experienced by any of Ireland’s main stations.

In terms of sunshine, it was a mixed month for Valentia. September 1 saw more than 12 hours of sunshine in the region, making it the sunniest day recorded by any of Ireland’s main observatories last month.

However, that was not a sign of things to come. The station experienced just 100 hours of sunshine in total for September, which was one of the lowest figures recorded by the country’s main observatories, and Valentia topped the national charts with its ten ‘dull days’, which are defined as days with less than 30 minutes of sunshine.

The station’s average temperature for September was 13.3 degrees Celsius, more than half a degree colder than average. The average soil temperature was 14.2 degrees Celsius.