Northern Ireland records wettest January in 149 years as storms batter UK

Northern Ireland has endured its wettest January in almost a century and a half, as relentless Atlantic storms delivered record-breaking rainfall, flooding and disruption across the region during the opening month of 2026.

Provisional Met Office figures show Northern Ireland recorded 70% more rainfall than the January average, making it the second wettest January on record and the wettest in 149 years, surpassed only by January 1877.

The deluge came amid a broader spell of unsettled weather across the UK, with persistent rain, strong winds and below-average temperatures dominating much of the month.

Communities saturated after months of rain

The exceptional rainfall followed above-average precipitation in both November and December, leaving ground conditions already saturated as January began.

A succession of Atlantic low-pressure systems then moved in, bringing frequent heavy rain and high winds, increasing the risk of flooding even during moderate downpours.

Storms Goretti, Ingrid and Chandra each added to the cumulative impact, with emergency services responding to flooding incidents and some communities entering February still engaged in recovery operations. Fresh weather warnings for rain and snow remain in place for parts of the UK as further unsettled conditions are forecast.

Met Office science manager Dr Amy Doherty said the persistence of the weather pattern was key to January’s exceptional rainfall totals.

“January has been exceptionally wet because we’ve seen a very persistent Atlantic weather pattern. A strong jet stream has repeatedly steered low-pressure systems towards the UK, bringing frequent spells of rain and wind. With little opportunity for drier conditions in between, the ground has become saturated, so even moderate rainfall has had a greater impact.

“This succession of Atlantic systems is the main reason rainfall totals this month are well above average for many areas.”

Record rainfall across Northern Ireland

Map showing rainfall amount in Northern Ireland and across the UK for January 2026

Across the UK as a whole, rainfall totals for January were 17% above the long-term average, while England recorded 50% more rain than normal, with a marked north–south divide. Southern England saw 74% above-average rainfall, making it the sixth wettest January on record, while northern England experienced closer-to-average conditions.

Scotland was the only nation to record below-average rainfall overall, at 87% of its January average, though eastern areas still saw significantly wetter conditions.

At county level, County Down experienced its wettest January on record, alongside Cornwall.

County Londonderry also recorded its second wettest January since records began in 1836, underlining the scale of rainfall across Northern Ireland.

One of the most striking examples came during Storm Chandra on 26 January, when Katesbridge in County Down recorded 100.8mm of rain in a single day, dramatically exceeding the previous site record of 38.2mm set in 2005. Several sites across England also broke daily rainfall records during the same storm.

Cold start, storms and snow

January began with a spell of cold weather as Arctic air moved southwards, bringing snow, frost, ice and freezing fog to parts of the UK. Conditions deteriorated further with Storm Goretti, named by Météo France, which brought damaging winds to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and triggered the first red wind warning of 2026. The storm also delivered widespread lying snow across Wales, the West Midlands and the South Pennines.

Map showing mean temperature in Northern Ireland and across the UK for January 2026

Map showing sunshine duration in Northern Ireland and across the UK for January 2026

Although temperatures rose later in the month, the UK’s mean temperature finished 0.5°C below average for January.

Storm Ingrid, named by the Portuguese national weather service, followed later in the month before Storm Chandra delivered further heavy rain and strong winds, particularly affecting Northern Ireland as it moved northwards.

Sunshine close to average

Despite the unsettled conditions, sunshine levels across the UK were close to average, with 47.7 hours recorded for January. Scotland was the only nation to see notably duller conditions, receiving just 85% of its typical January sunshine.

As February begins, forecasters warn that the Atlantic-driven weather pattern is likely to continue, raising concerns for communities already dealing with saturated ground and flood damage.