To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much precipitation fell in each month of 1985, 1990, 1991 and 1993 to the latest available date; what is the long-term average for each month; and what was the number of days recorded as having no precipitation in each of these months.
This is a matter delegated to the Meteorological Office under its framework document. I have therefore asked the chief executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Letter from J. C. R. Hunt to Mr. William Ross, dated 19 July 1993:
Information on rainfall for Belfast Airport is attached. Further information can be supplied if requested.
The only place in Northern Ireland for which a complete set of data is readily available is Belfast (Aldergrove) Airport
| |||||
Month
| 1985
| 1990
| 1991
| 1992
| 1993
|
Monthly Rainfall in mm at Aldergrove
| |||||
| January | 58·8 | 104·3 | 88·3 | 57·3 | 98·2 |
| February | 30·3 | 132·0 | 46·4 | 61·9 | 28·4 |
| March | 58·8 | 38·8 | 74·4 | 97·2 | 52·3 |
| April | 58·2 | 50·6 | 81·7 | 92·4 | 103·3 |
| May | 87·3 | 47·5 | 7·5 | 32·5 | 130·9 |
| June | 55·8 | 117·6 | 75·9 | 43·2 | 76·4 |
| July | 90·3 | 50·3 | 72·9 | 67·4 | — |
Month
| 1985
| 1990
| 1991
| 1992
| 1993
|
| August | 128·4 | 91·4 | 29·1 | 149·9 | |
| September | 131·5 | 37·3 | 54·1 | 71·9 | — |
| October | 38·0 | 164·7 | 106·1 | 58·1 | — |
| November | 73·8 | 73·4 | 109·4 | 89·7 | — |
| December | 72·8 | 74·8 | 78·3 | 68·7 | — |
Monthly Number of Days Without Rain at Aldergrove
| |||||
| January | 8 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 3 |
| February | 12 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| March | 4 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 2 |
| April | 2 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 8 |
| May | 9 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 6 |
| June | 5 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 5 |
| July | 0 | 11 | 7 | 5 | — |
| August | 1 | 1 | 8 | 2 | — |
| September | 4 | 9 | 11 | 3 | — |
| October | 14 | 3 | 4 | 8 | — |
| November | 3 | 10 | 0 | 3 | — |
| December | 2 | 6 | 9 | 8 | — |
Long-term average monthly rainfall in mm at Aldergrove
| |
Month
| |
| January | 85·8 |
| February | 57·8 |
| March | 68·8 |
| April | 52·9 |
| May | 59·9 |
| June | 62·6 |
| July | 63·9 |
| August | 79·8 |
| September | 84·8 |
Month
| |
| October | 87·6 |
| November | 77·8 |
| December | 77·8 |
Note: The Average has been calculated over the period 1961 to 1990.