Met Éireann details extent of Ireland's record-breaking summer weather
People enjoying the hot weather at Moloney's Strand, Timoleague, Co. Cork, in July when the Azores high pressure built over Ireland sending the mercury soaring to new highs. File picture: Larry Cummins
Record-breaking heatwaves in July and August have seen Ireland record above average temperatures for the fifth season in a row.
While June was wetter than average and relatively mild, the Azores high pressure built over Ireland several times across July and August, sending the mercury soaring to new highs as lower-than-average rainfall saw water levels drop.
Data in Met Éireann’s provisional statement for summer 2022 shows that all of its weather stations recorded above average mean temperatures for July and August, with new high maximum daily temperature records set for both months.
As an exceptionally hot tropical continental air mass moved up over Ireland and Britain from the south-southeast between July 17 to 19, nine weather stations recorded new high maximum daily temperatures, with a new all-time maximum daily temperature record set for July when it hit 33C at Dublin’s Phoenix Park on July 18.
It was the station’s highest daily maximum temperature since records began in 1881 and it was the second highest temperature ever recorded in Ireland.
The trend continued in August when heatwave conditions were reported at seven weather stations between August 9 and 14, with 11 stations breaking their maximum daily temperature record for that month, and a new all-time August high temperature recorded.
The weather station at Oak Park in Co Carlow recorded its hottest August day on August 12, when it hit 31.7C, breaking its previous record of 31.5C for the month set in 1995.
Sunshine totals were also above average for the season, with the sunny southeast living up to its reputation, where Johnstown Castle in Wexford recorded the highest national sunshine total, followed by Shannon Airport and Casement Aerodrome.
The highest number of daily sunshine hours this season was recorded as 16.1 hours at Malin Head in Donegal on Saturday, June 4.
Rainfall totals were below average everywhere, but driest in the south and east, with Cork Airport seeing almost half the usual rainfall for this time of year. Two weather stations had dry spells between August 3 and 19 — the Roches Point weather station dry spell lasted 15 days, with Dunsany in Meath lasting 17 days.
It was the driest August since 1995 at weather stations in Markree in Sligo, Dunsany in Meath and Cork Airport, and the driest August since 2003 at the Phoenix Park, Mullingar, Malin Head, and Casement, Co. Dublin.
Check out the Irish Examiner's WEATHER CENTRE for regularly updated short and long range forecasts wherever you are.
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