Connacht Tribune

Driest April in 66 years

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GALWAY has enjoyed one of its driest every Aprils since records began with most places across the county getting well under half an inch of rainfall over the 30 days of our fourth month.

Many rivers across the county are at their lowest level for a number of years with soil deficit levels now approaching the 50mm. mark (nearly 2 inches).

Abbeyknockmoy ‘weather man’, Brendan Geraghty, told the Farming Tribune that since his father, Michael, began his rain recording work in 1941, the April of 2017 was now the driest in 66 years.

“Through the entire month of April, I recorded a rainfall total of just 0.33 inches (8.4mms) and that came in three days of very light stuff on the 3rd, the 14th and the 29th.

“It really has been one of our driest months ever. Only once before – in May of 1991 – has there been a lower rainfall total for a month when we had just had 0.25 inches (6.4mms.) over a two-day period,” said Brendan Geraghty.

He said that the local Abbert River was now crossable on foot at many locations while for the first time in his life he had seen ‘dry cracks’ in the Abbert Bog.

Brendan Geraghty said that over the last couple of years, April had tended to be a dryish month with 1.84 inches of rainfall in 2016 and 2.46 inches in 2015, well below the average for the month.

Since our wet September of last year, rainfall had been below average for October, November, December, January and February – with March being a wettish month, delivering 4.44 inches of rain.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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