Seamus Kirk
Ceist:107 Mr. Kirk asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the annual rainfall levels here for each of the past ten years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29499/00]
Written Answers. - Rainfaill Statistics.
Within Ireland, Met Éireann monitors rainfall reports from a network of over 500 locations countrywide. These stations provide rainfall accumulations for various durations, daily in most cases.
Comparison with the long-term, 30 year, normal figures for those stations for which such normals exist indicates that rainfall in nine of the ten years in question was above normal as shown in the following table:
|
Year |
Numberof Stations |
Average %of normal |
|
1990 |
326 |
106% |
|
1991 |
306 |
97% |
|
1992 |
291 |
101% |
|
1993 |
217 |
109% |
|
1994 |
196 |
116% |
|
1995 |
186 |
103% |
|
1996 |
196 |
102% |
|
1997 |
194 |
104% |
|
1998 |
185 |
119% |
|
1999 |
179 |
112% |
The following is a description of the area rainfall distribution in the years in question:
–1990Normal or slightly below normal in the midlands, east and south. North, west and northwest slightly above normal.
–1991The north, west and parts of the southwest were slightly above normal. Elsewhere it was normal or slightly below.
–1992North of line through Belfast and Shannon Airport, rainfall was between 10% and 30% above normal. Elsewhere it was normal or below.
–1993Above normal most places, especially in the east where it was wettest in many places since 1966.
–1994Above normal almost everywhere. Well above normal in parts of the south and west.
–1995Near normal in most places. Above normal in parts of the southwest, below normal in parts of the east.
–1996Below normal almost everywhere, except in parts of the south, southeast and southwest.
–1997Rainfall totals above normal in parts of the south and west midlands, below normal in parts of the north and east.
–1998Above normal almost everywhere.
–1999Well above normal in the southwest, west and north, relatively dry in the southeast.
–2000(to 6 December) Rainfall totals are already above normal for the year at just over half of Met Éireann's synoptic reporting stations, notably at Valentia, Belmullet and Shannon Airport where more than 10% above the yearly normal has already been recorded. The only synoptic station where rainfall is significantly below normal is at Cork Airport, where the total so far is just 81% of normal.