Carlow experienced its wettest January since 2014
Carlow County Council working on flood relief during Storm Chandra
THE weather station at Oak Park, Co Carlow experienced its wettest January since 2014 with 142.3 mm of rain experienced during the month. This was 177% of the long-term average for the month, according to a Met Éireann analysis.
Nationally, January was the wettest month since 2018 and the coldest month since 2021. Ireland’s rainfall was 123% of the 1991-2020 long-term average. Dublin observed its wettest January since 1948.
Met Éireann’s climate statement for January explained that in the second half of the month several rainbands came in from the south due to a cold blocking high pressure over northern and eastern Europe and slow-moving low-pressure systems to the south-west. This resulted in prolonged spells of heavy rain, leading to significant flooding in the south-east and east during and after Storm Chandra. The storm brought strong winds and heavy rain to the south-east on 26-27 January.
Johnstown castle, Co Wexford saw 232.7 mm (230% of its long-term average) of rain in January, the highest figure across all stations in Ireland. Total rainfall between November 2025 and January 2026 came to 652.5mm at Johnstown, the highest consecutive three-month total on record for that location.
