Extreme Rainfall and its Hydrological Impact in North-East Ireland, October 1990

The frontal depression of 27-28 October 1990 was responsible for remarkable rainfall intensities and record floods in North East Ireland. This article describes tbe synoptic event and tbe dynamics and orograpbic influences responsible for tbe bigbly localised nature of the meso-scale precipitation signatures. Intense precipitation bad its most dramatic impact in Ballycastle and Cushendall, where flooding was widespread. The event acted as a catalyst in promoting the recent inception of flood alleviation schemes in the area. It is now recognised that the bydrological characteristics of river catchments need to be closely monitored in order to calibrate more precisely the flood bazard in this part of North East Ireland.