More record heat temperatures as Cork station breaks its all-time high 

Seven stations recorded official heatwaves, while 10 saw their previous August temperatures records broken over the weekend.

Owenahincha, West Cork, Ireland. 12th Aug, 2022. On a hot and sunny day with temperatures reaching 27C, tourists and locals headed to Owenahincha Beach, to cool off during the  heatwave. 

Several of Ireland’s weather stations recorded record-breaking temperatures this weekend as the country basked in its latest heatwave.

While parts of the country are now under a thunderstorm warning until tonight as the heat finally broke, the mercury climbed into the early 30s in many areas in previous days.

Today, the national forecaster said that seven weather stations registered heatwaves, five or more consecutive days with top temperatures of over 25C, over the past week.

Munster stations account for three of these, with Cork Airport’s station, Cork’s Moore Park and Gurteen in Tipperary making the list.

Moreover, 10 stations broke their August maximum temperature record, with Moore Park also breaking its all-time temperature record with 30.6C on Saturday August 13.

The Cork Airport station recorded a new top temperature for August at 28.3C on the same day, while Shannon Airport broke its August record with an even 30C that day also.

Above table shows synoptic station maximum temperature records broken for August. Picture: Met Eireann

Gurteen in Tipperary reported a new record-breaking temperature for August at 28.9C on Saturday also.

Met Éireann said today that for the second consecutive day, the all-time maximum temperature in Ireland for August was provisionally broken.

Data from the climate station in Durrow, Co Laois reached 32.1C on Saturday. If verified, it would surpass the record of 31.7C set on Friday at Oak Park, Co Carlow.

The forecaster explained that both of these maximum temperatures exceed the previous all-time August record for Ireland, which was 31.5C, set at both Ballybrittas, Co Laois in 1975 and Oak Park in 1995.

The potential record-breaking temperature will go through a verification procedure before it is officially recognised, with Met Éireann insisting that the July 1887 temperature record of 33.3C stands up.

Last month, temperatures in Dublin's Phoenix Park reached 33C, the highest in 135 years since the 1887 reading was taken in Kilkenny Castle.

Keith Lambkin, Head of Met Éireann’s Climate Services Division commented: “While 2022 has brought Ireland extreme heat events, looking over a longer period reveals a trend in Ireland’s temperatures.

“Twenty of the twenty one years this century have all seen temperatures above what was considered normal in the 1970’s, and climate models project this trend to continue.”