2023 WAS A WET YEAR

Diverse weather continuing to pose problems for farmers

A LOCATION in North Galway recorded an increase of 11 inches of rainfall over the 12 months of 2023 compared to 2022.

Brendan Geraghty, an amateur meteorologist from Abbeyknockmoy, measures rainfall in inches, as opposed to millimetres, in a gauge at his home. Brendan reported last week that it rained 174 days in 2023, a jump of 24 days from 2022.

“We had 58.47 inches (1,485mm) for the year. That was up from 47.26 inches (1,200mm) in 2022,” said Brendan.

“Eleven inches is an awful difference. It’s two months extra worth of rain.”

It was the wettest year recorded at the Athenry weather station since the station’s records began 12 years ago.

Met Éireann’s ‘Annual Climate Statement for 2023’ released last week detailed that 1,590mm of rain was accounted for in Athenry in 2023. The statement also said it had been “the warmest year on record by a large margin” and that “above average” rainfall had been recorded at Met Éireann weather stations around the country...

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