A report from Met Éireann for this summer shows that it was provisionally the hottest on record.
In a statement, the national forecaster said: “For the second year in a row, Ireland has experienced what was provisionally the hottest summer since records began in 1900.”
It said “after extensive analysis of provisional data from Met Éireann stations, the average temperature of 16.28C across the country during the months of June, July and August made it 0.09C warmer than the previous record, only set in 2025, and 2.03C above the long term average for 1961-1990”.
Six of the ten hottest summers have occurred since 2001, while provisional rainfall data also shows summer 2026 was drier than average.
“Summer 2026 saw high pressure dominating over most of western Europe with the jet stream – a band of high level winds which steers weather systems around the globe – displaced to the north of Ireland through most of the season.
“Intense high pressure systems known as heat domes extended north over Ireland on several occasions during the summer months bringing prolonged periods of hot weather,” said Met Éireann.
It also said August 2026 was warmer and drier than average, with a mean temperature of 16.27C making it the ninth warmest on record since 1900.
Records show that the warmest August was in 1995 (31 years ago) and the coolest was in 1912 (114 years ago).