Met Office says NI had driest February in 30 years

Just 31.3mm of rain fell during the month, a third of what is normally expected

Northern Ireland has experienced its driest February in 30 years, according to provisional figures from the Met Office.

Just 31.3mm of rain fell during the month - a third of what is normally expected over the four weeks.

That makes it the driest February since 1993 and the 14th driest since records began in 1836.

Some parts of Northern Ireland, County Down in particular, were drier than others.

The dry weather was accompanied by mild conditions as it was also the fourth-mildest February on record.

The average temperature was 6.6C - that is 2C above normal for the time of year.

That was despite it being a duller than average February with just 58% of normal sunshine.

It was a dry winter, with just two-thirds of normal rainfall during December, January, and February

The Republic of Ireland also recorded a very dry and mild February with some weather stations recording just a tenth of their normal rainfall amount.

It was the driest February since 1965 at Dunsany in County Meath and Phoenix Park in Dublin.

Several other sites had their driest February since 1986, including Johnstown Castle in County Wexford, which recorded just 10% of its normal rainfall.

The latest figures come just three years after Northern Ireland saw its wettest February on record.

More than double the normal amount of rain fell in February 2020.

Overall, the winter months of December, January, and February saw around average temperatures and sunshine amounts.

The mean temperature was 4.9C - 0.3C above normal - with 96% sunshine.

However, it was a dry season, with just two-thirds of normal rainfall during the three months.