After a summer of water shortages in 2025, Westmeath has had more than its fair share in the first two months of the year.

Today (Tuesday, March 3) is predicted to be the first day in Ireland of 2026 where no rainfall is recorded on the island. Met Éireann have said the dry spell will mark a significant change for the country.

The heavy rainfall of February is a continuation of the trend for this year. The first month of the year was the wettest January in Ireland since 2018, according to data from Met Éireann.

More rain fell in the east of the country than the west, and it was the wettest January since 1948, and second wettest on record, in the Phoenix Park and at Dublin Airport.

The wet start to the year continued as Met Éireann are expected to confirm new rainfall records for February as the unrelenting downpours have caused flooding and left land saturated.

Farmers, wildlife experts and environmental services firms have warned of major problems unless drier weather arrives soon and land, as well as river systems, get the chance to recover.

Thousands of acres of farmland remain under flood water across Munster, Leinster and south Ulster because of rivers breaking their banks following the downfall.

Data for the midlands, derived from readings from stations in Gurteen, Tipperary and Mullingar, Westmeath, shows a similar situation.

February 2026 was a cool and wet month, and most stations recorded monthly rainfall totals above their 1991-2020 Long-Term Average (LTA).

In February Gurteen saw 96.3mm, significantly up on the LTA of 96.3. Mullingar saw 131.7mm or up on an LTA of 76mm for the month of January.