elevations. Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, although the wettest months (October and November) receive roughly twice as much rain as the driest months (February, March and April). The driest area of Wicklow is the northeast corner of the county, which is protected from the prevailing south-westerly winds by the Wicklow Mountains and receives around of rainfall per year. The coastal region of County Dublin immediately to the north is the driest location in all of Ireland as a result of the rain shadow created by the mountains. Easterly winds can occur between February and May, and are often associated with extreme snowfall events such as the 2018 "Beast from the East" and the "Big Snow of 1947". Much of Wicklow is very vulnerable to heavy snowfall and the county is typically the hardest hit by such events, with some areas recording over of snow. During the winter of 1947, residents of Rathdrum called upon the Irish Red Cross to drop them food parcels by plane as the village had been inaccessible by road for over a month due to heavy snow. Wicklow is occasionally affected by hurricanes, although they are usually extratropical storms by the time they reach Ireland. On 24 August 1986, during Hurricane Charley, of rain fell over a 24-hour period at Kippure on the Wicklow-Dublin border, the greatest daily rainfall total ever recorded in Ireland. The hurricane caused severe flooding and up to 1,000 homes had to be evacuated in Bray alone. Other major floods in Wicklow which resulted in loss of life occurred in 1886–87, 1931, 1965 and 2011. Subdivisions Baronies There are eight historic baronies in the county. While baronies continue to be officially defined units, they are no longer used for administrative purposes. Their official status is illustrated by Placenames Orders made since 2003, where official Irish names of baronies are listed under "Administrative units". The largest barony in Wicklow is Lower Talbotstown, at , and the smallest barony is Rathdown, at . Arklow (An tInbhear Mór) Ballinacor North (Baile na Corra Thuaidh) Ballinacor South (Baile na Corra Theas) Newcastle (An Caisleán Nua) Rathdown (Ráth an Dúin) Shillelagh (Síol Éalaigh) Lower Talbotstown (Baile an Talbóidigh Íochtarach) Upper Talbotstown (Baile an Talbóidigh Uachtarach) Townlands Towns and villages Aghavannagh Annacurra Annamoe Arklow Ashford Aughrim Avoca Ballinaclash Ballinakil Baltinglass Blessington Bray Brittas Bay Carnew Coolafancy Coolboy Coolkenno Delgany Donard Dunlavin Enniskerry Glencree Glendalough Glenealy