JANUARY DRIER, COOLER, AND SUNNIER THAN AVERAGE
Armagh Observatory reviews that January 2025 was drier, cooler, and sunnier than common. There have been three named storms this month, bringing the overall variety of such storms to have affected Northern Eire to a better or lesser diploma this 2024/2025 storm season to seven.
Complete precipitation was 43.7 mm (1.72 inches) together with 6 hint values, that’s, 43.4 mm if hint values are ignored. That is roughly 60% of each the 183-year long-term (1838-2020) common January precipitation at Armagh (72.8 mm) and the newest (1991-2020) 30-year common (72.7 mm). The wettest day was the twenty third, with 14.8 mm of precipitation related to the arrival of Storm Eowyn. This had been named by the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) after a noblewoman of Rohan within the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Storm Eowyn, the fifth of the 2024/2025 storm season, brought about energy cuts and substantial harm together with the lack of 1000’s of bushes throughout Northern Eire the next day.
The second and third wettest days have been the twenty sixth and twenty seventh, with 9.1 mm and seven.1 mm of precipitation respectively. These moist days have been related to Storm Herminia, which had been named by the Spanish Meteorological Service (AEMET) and which introduced extreme climate to southern England and elements of France and Spain however not Northern Eire. An additional storm, particularly Ivo, affected elements of southern England and the English Channel on the twenty ninth however once more missed Northern Eire. This storm was named by the Portuguese Climate Service (IPEA).
Snowflakes have been seen on the 2nd, with additional snow on the evening of the sixth/seventh, resulting in mild snow cowl roughly 1 cm deep that endured for 2 days, melting on the morning of the ninth. An additional dusting of snow, overlaying lower than half the bottom, was noticed within the wake of Storm Eowyn on the morning of the twenty fifth.
Storms Eowyn and Herminia introduced exceptionally low atmospheric pressures to Northern Eire. A price of 969.6 mbar diminished to imply sea stage was recorded throughout Storm Eowyn on the time of observations (09:00 GMT) on the twenty fourth. This 09:00 GMT low stress was adopted by 965.9 mbar at 09:00 GMT on the twenty seventh related to Storm Herminia. This was the sixth lowest January 09:00 GMT barometric stress at Armagh since not less than 1850 and the bottom such stress at Armagh for 35 years, that’s, since 961.9 mbar was noticed at 09:00 GMT on 25 January 1990.
Storm Eowyn was additionally related to an unusually sudden drop in atmospheric stress. Whereas the 09:00 GMT studying was 969.6 mbar diminished to imply sea stage, a couple of hours earlier the Automated Climate Station had recorded a minimal of 956.7 mbar. This can’t be in contrast with Armagh’s long-term 09:00 GMT stress collection, however it most likely represents one of many lowest January atmospheric pressures at Armagh for not less than the final 175 years.
One other measure of the depth of the distinctive Storm Eowyn is the width of the sharp drop in atmospheric stress. In keeping with the Automated Climate Station, the stress diminished to imply sea stage was 978.9 mbar six hours earlier than the minimal (956.7 mbar) and 978.8 mbar six hours later, implying a drop of greater than 20 mbar in lower than six hours.
A big flock of redwings was seen flying southwest on the morning of the eleventh, and rooks have been seen mobbing a buzzard on the nineteenth and on the twenty third chasing off two kestrels. A crowd of roughly 40 herring gulls was seen swirling above the meteorological station across the time of observations on the nineteenth, and once more, although barely fewer in quantity, on the twenty second.
The common temperature this January, particularly 4.6 Celsius (40.28 Fahrenheit), was 0.4 C hotter than the 225-year long-term (1796-2020) common January temperature at Armagh (4.2 C) however 0.4 C cooler than the newest (1991-2020) 30-year common (5.0 C). This was the best January at Armagh for 4 years, that’s, since January 2021 (3.1 C).
The very best most air temperature, normally the warmest day, was 12.9 C on the thirteenth, adopted by 12.6 C on the 14th, and 12.0 C on the twentieth. The bottom most temperature, normally the best day, was -1.0 C attributed to the eighth. This was adopted by 1.7 C attributed to the 4th, after which by 3.4 C on the fifth.
The very best minimal air temperature, normally the warmest evening, was 9.6 C on the 14th. The bottom minimal air temperature, or coolest evening, was -5.3 C on the tenth, adopted by -4.7 C attributed to the eleventh, and -4.2 C on the eighth.
This month there have been 12 days with minimal air temperatures lower than or equal to zero and 23 with floor frost. The coldest of those have been -9.9 C on the eighth, adopted by -9.6 C on the tenth, and -9.3 C on the ninth. There was simply in the future with a reported most air temperature lower than or equal to zero, particularly -1.0 C attributed to the eighth.
With 69.0 hours of robust sunshine, barely sunnier than January 2024, this was the sunniest January at Armagh for 14 years, that’s, since January 2011 (71.8 hours), and the eighth sunniest January at Armagh on document. January 2025 was roughly 49% sunnier than the 140-year long-term (1881-2020) January common at Armagh (46.2 hours) and 46% sunnier than the newest (1991-2020) 30-year common (47.4 hours). The sunniest day was the thirty first with 6.9 hours of robust sunshine, adopted by the 6.4 hours on the fifteenth and 5.5 hours on the twenty ninth.
These information seek advice from observations at Armagh Observatory, which has been recording the climate at Armagh since 1795.
For additional data, please contact:
Professor Mark E. Bailey
Emeritus Director of Armagh Observatory
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium
Faculty Hill
Armagh
BT61 9DG
Tel: 028-3752-2928
E-mail: mark.bailey@armagh.ac.uk
