As Europe bakes in record heat, Ireland is forecast to soak in the rain

Meanwhile, according to Met Éireann, it has been much wetter than average in Ireland over the past seven days, with some areas up to 2.5 times as wet as they normally would be at this time of year. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Record temperatures of 35C experienced in parts of Spain in recent days are "hard to believe", while Ireland's seemingly incessant rainfall is showing no sign of easing.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has warned that climate change is impacting all sorts of weather norms, including unseasonably high temperatures across Europe coming into the winter months.

It pointed to "hard to believe" data from southern Spain that has seen temperatures of up to 35C, France experiencing nine days where the temperature was more than 4C above average for October, and more than 25 sites in the UK where the mercury reached 20C on October 27.

Meanwhile, according to Met Éireann, it has been much wetter than average in Ireland over the past seven days, with some areas up to 2.5 times as wet as they normally would be at this time of year. 

And there will be no respite from the rain, the forecaster has warned. Most areas can expect between one and 2.5 times the average amount of rainfall for at least another week - although the temperature has also been unseasonably milder in Ireland.

The now semi-regular weather warnings from Met Éireann are set to continue, with a status yellow wind and rain warning for the south on Wednesday, following intense rainfall on Monday that brought flood warnings for the likes of Cork. 

Connacht and the northwest are set for the worst of it on Wednesday however, with "some severe and damaging gusts" and the "potential for localised wave overtopping along Atlantic coasts. A spell of heavy rain will occur, leading to flooding in places," Met Éireann again warned.

Europe

In Spain, the picture is vastly different. The country's public meteorology agency Aemet said October will probably be the hottest ever on record, with data tracking the last 106 years. According to Aemet, temperatures reached above 30C in a number of provinces, while the rest of the country saw the mercury reach 25C. The data suggests the October monthly record will be beaten by 2C. 

The heat has led to yet another round of devastating wildfires in Spain, which has already been weary fighting such blazes throughout the summer months, which were the hottest on record.

Figures released last week by the European Commission's data analysis wing Eurostat show that extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves have caused €145bn worth of economic losses in just a decade across Europe.

Repeated heatwaves across the continent throughout this summer, coupled with drought conditions, led to the scarring of large tranches of land in the likes of France and Portugal. According to the European Commission, 2022 has broken previous records.

Meanwhile, the UN has warned that the world is currently on track for global warming of 2.8C, which secretary general Antonio Guterres said is “economy-destroying levels of global heating”. The Cop27 climate change summit meeting of world leaders, environmental scientists, and policymakers takes place in Egypt next week. 

It will look to build on pledges made to cut emissions at the Cop26 event in Glasgow last November, with the most vulnerable nations in the face of climate change demanding better protection from larger emitting countries.

WEATHER CENTRE

Check out the Irish Examiner's WEATHER CENTRE for regularly updated short and long range forecasts wherever you are.