Northern Ireland sees wettest January in 150 years – with Katesbridge at the brunt of it

Northern Ireland sees wettest January in 150 years- having katesbridge at the brunt of it
Northern Ireland has seen its wettest January in 150 years as of this year, and
Katesbridge took the worst of it. On January 27th, the village was hit with 100.8mm of
rain, well above the usual total for the whole month.
As of February 21st, Katesbridge had already recorded 185.4mm of rain, almost triple the
long-term average. Locals say it has rained for 42 consecutive days, leaving fields,
roads, and parks waterlogged.
Due to such heavy rainfall, floods heavily affected the area leaving the local park closed
and school buses being delayed due to deteriorating roads. residents have said that
they are majorly impacted due to “extremely large potholes” and having their
“businesses closing due to buildings flooding.”
Local Resident Matthew Harper has said that due to the floods and potholes his “bank
account is suffering the consequences” due to damages to his car on the way to and
from work.
Alongside this due to the weather he stated that he feels “out of routine” due to not
being able to go on his morning walks through the park as a result of the floods.
Even small businesses are feeling the repercussions of this as a small business owner
previously reported that due to their job being outdoors, they have not been able to
make an income due to the rain.
The Met Office confirms the trend: January brought rainfall levels 70% above average
across Northern Ireland.
Met Office science manager Dr Amy Doherty explains the trend: a persistent Atlantic
weather pattern with a strong jet stream has steered repeated low-pressure systems
toward the UK, leaving no let up between storms.
For a place normally known for its crisp winter frosts, this level of rainfall is extreme and
with the ground already saturated, forecasters warn more flooding could follow