Hottest summer on record for Ireland. Sunny and dry
For the second year in a row, Ireland has experienced what was provisionally the hottest summer since records began back in 1900. After extensive analysis of provisional data from Met Éireann stations, the average temperature of 16.28 °C across the country during the months of June, July and August made it 0.09 °C warmer than the previous record, only set in 2025, and 2.03 °C above the long term average for 1961-1990. Six of the ten hottest summers have occurred since 2001, while provisional gridded rainfall data also shows summer 2026 was drier than average.
Key Figures:
- Summer 2026 was the hottest summer and season on record since records began 127 years ago (using the Island of Ireland dataset*).
- The national average summer 2026 temperature was 16.28 °C, exceeding the previous record of 16.19 °C in 2025 by 0.09 °C.
- Summer 2026 was exceptionally warm relative to climatological normals, 2.03 °C above the 1961-1990 long-term average (LTA) and 1.50 °C above the more recent 1999-2020 LTA.
- Six of the ten hottest summers have occurred since 2001, while none of the ten coolest summers have occurred recently.
- Provisional gridded rainfall for Ireland shows summer 2026 was drier than average and ranked as the 22nd driest summer on record since 1941, with 78 % of the 1991-2020 LTA.
- Six of the ten wettest summers and two of the ten driest summers have occurred since 2001.
Summer Climate Statement highlights
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.
June was warm and relatively wet overall. The first third of the month was dominated by Atlantic low pressure. The second third of the month saw a battleground between high pressure to the south and low pressure to the west while it gradually warmed up. A heat dome from the south brought exceptionally high daytime and nighttime temperatures, along with high humidity, towards the end of the month.
July was dominated by high pressure, which resulted in one of the hottest, driest and sunniest months on record for Ireland. Atlantic weather fronts were kept away to the north and west for most of the month. Any fronts that did encroach brought some cloud and rain, mostly to the North and West, but it stayed predominantly dry elsewhere. This setup resulted in a lot of sunshine, especially for the South and East, along with consistently high temperatures.
August saw high pressure close by for most of the month, which kept it drier and warmer than average overall, especially in the South and East. On a few occasions, low pressure passed close to or over the country, bringing scattered outbreaks of rain or showers that mostly affected the Midlands, North and West. A marked pattern change to low pressure dominance took hold towards the end of the month and season, which brought more widespread and heavy rainfall.
Rainfall: Below average in most places, wettest in the Northwest
- A partial drought* at Oak Park, Co Carlow that began on Saturday 20th June continued until Monday 24th August, lasting 66 days. This is the longest partial drought on record since 1941.
- All 25 stations saw dry spells* between Wednesday July 1st and Sunday August 2nd lasting between 19 and 33 days.
- Twelve stations mostly in the Midlands, South and East also saw absolute droughts* between Wednesday 1st July and Tuesday 28th July lasting between 15 and 27 days.
- Fifteen stations in the Midlands, South and East also saw partial droughts* between Saturday 20th June and Monday 24th August lasting between 29 and 66 days.
Nearly all rainfall totals were below their 1991-2020 Long-Term Average (LTA) for the season. Percentage of seasonal rainfall values ranged from 68% (163.9 mm) at Mace Head, Co Galway to 106% (274.2 mm) at Belmullet, Co Mayo. Seasonal rainfall totals ranged from 138.5 mm (73% of its LTA) at Oak Park, Co Carlow to 330.3 mm (98% of its LTA) at Newport, Co Mayo. The highest daily rainfall total was 61.8 mm at Phoenix Park, Co Dublin on Thursday 27th August (its highest daily fall for summer since 2014). The number of rain days0 ranged from 29 days at Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford to 61 days at Malin Head, Co Donegal. The number of wet days* ranged from 20 days at both Oak Park, Co Carlow and Moore Park, Co Cork to 50 days at Newport, Co Mayo. The number of very wet days* ranged from 4 days at a few stations to 11 days at Belmullet, Co Mayo. Climatological dry periods occurred at all 25 stations during the summer.
All 25 stations saw dry spells* between Wednesday July 1st and Sunday August 2nd lasting between 19 and 33 days. Of those, 20 stations mostly in the Midlands, South and East also saw absolute droughts* between Wednesday 1st July and Tuesday 28th July lasting between 15 and 27 days. Of those, 15 stations in the Midlands, South and East also saw partial droughts* between Saturday 20th June and Monday 24th August lasting between 29 and 66 days. A partial drought at Oak Park, Co Carlow that began on Saturday 20th June continued until Monday 24th August, lasting 66 days, the longest partial drought on record since 1941. Oak Park, Co Carlow also had a second summer dry spell between Tuesday 4th and Tuesday 18th August, lasting 15 days.
Provisional monthly gridded 2026 rainfall anomalies so far (% of 1991-2020 LTA) together with monthly rainfall totals in millimeters (summer months in yellow)
Temperature: Significantly above average everywhere with numerous records, especially in the South and East
- Fourteen stations, including all three Dublin stations and three Cork stations, reported their hottest summer on record.
- Eight stations reported their highest daily maximum temperature on record, and ten stations reported their highest daily minimum temperature on record
- Heatwaves occurred in both June and July with the second longest heatwave on record, 13 days, reported at Moore Park, Co Cork in July.
- Eight stations saw a record number of summer days (>25 °C), the highest of which was 23 summer days at Moore Park, Co Cork (previous highest for Moore Park was 15 summer days in 2018 and 1989).
- Thirteen stations saw a record number of warm days (>20 °C), the highest of which was 68 warm days at Phoenix Park, Co Dublin (previous highest for Phoenix Park was 64 warm days in 1995).
All mean air temperatures across the country were above their LTA for the season. Deviations from mean air temperature ranged from +0.7 °C (15.8 °C) at Newport, Co Mayo to +2.1 °C at three stations, Oak Park, Co Carlow (17.2 °C) (its joint hottest summer on record with 1995), Moore Park, Co Cork (16.9 °C) (its hottest summer on record (length 39 years)) and Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin (16.8 °C) (its hottest summer on record (length 62 years)). Mean temperatures for the season ranged from 14.7 °C (0.8 °C above its LTA) at Malin Head, Co Donegal to 17.2 °C (2.1 °C above its LTA) at Oak Park, Co Carlow. The season’s highest temperature was reported at Athenry, Co Galway on Thursday 25th June with a temperature of 32.2 °C (its highest all-month daily maximum air temperature on record (length 16 years)). The season’s lowest air and grass minimum temperatures were both recorded on Monday 24th August at Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon. The lowest air minimum was 0.4 °C while the lowest grass minimum was -2.4 °C. There was no air frost reported this season. Less than half of stations reported ground frost. The number of days with ground frost ranged from zero days at most stations to 3 days at Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon.
Eight stations reported their highest daily maximum temperature on record and ten stations reported their highest daily minimum temperature on record (record lengths between 16 and 127 years). Fourteen stations, including all three Dublin stations and three Cork stations, reported their hottest summer on record. Oak Park had its joint hottest summer with 1995 and five other stations had their hottest summer since 1995. Heatwaves* occurred in both June and July with the second longest heatwave on record, 13 days, reported at Moore Park, Co Cork in July. Eight stations had a record number of summer days (>25 °C) and 13 stations had a record number of warm days (>20 °C) during summer 2026 compared to previous summers.
Provisional top 10 warmest summers for Ireland (1900-2026 incl.). Island of Ireland Long-Term Temperature Series (°C).
Figures showing the trend over the last 20 years in the number of summer days (>25 °C) and warm days (>20 °C) at stations that broke their record in summer 2026 for the total number of summer and warm days at each station compared to previous summers.
Sunshine: Exceptionally sunny in the South and East, dull in the Northwest
- Shannon Airport, Co Clare saw its sunniest summer since 1968.
- Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin saw its sunniest summer since 1995.
- Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford saw its sunniest summer on record.
Sunshine values were mostly above their LTA for the season. Percentage of seasonal sunshine values ranged from 129% (570.8 hours) at Shannon Airport, Co Clare (its sunniest summer since 1968) to 132% (625.9 hours) at Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin (its sunniest summer since 1995). Seasonal sunshine totals ranged from 367.2 hours (no LTA comparison*) at Belmullet, Co Mayo to 731.5 hours (no LTA comparison*) at Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford (its sunniest summer on record (length 17 years)).
Cork Airport, Co Cork also saw its sunniest summer on record with 673.9 hours (no LTA comparison*) (record length 64 years). The highest number of daily sunshine hours recorded this season was 15.8 hours at Malin Head, Co Donegal on Tuesday 14th July. The number of dull days* ranged from 7 days at both Dublin Airport and Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin to 21 days at Belmullet, Co Mayo.
Wind: Gales reported on two days during the summer
Seasonal mean wind speeds ranged from 5.0 knots (9.3 km/h) at Ballyhaise, Co Cavan to 12.4 knots (23.0 km/h) at Malin Head, Co Donegal. Gales were reported on Saturday 6th June at Roches Point, Co Cork and on Wednesday 1st July at Malin Head, Co Donegal. The number of days with gale force winds ranged from zero days at most stations to 1 day at both Roches Point, Co Cork and Malin Head, Co Donegal. There were no strong gales or storms reported this season. The season’s highest gust was reported at Malin Head, Co Donegal on Wednesday 1st July with 47 knots (87 km/h). The season’s highest 10-minute mean wind speed was 37 knots (69 km/h) at Roche’s Point, Co Cork on Saturday 6th June.
PDF report and charts are available here (choose Summer on drop down menu for month).
Summer 2026 extreme values at synoptic stations.
Notes to Editor:
- *Issued by Met Éireann on Thursday 4th June 2026. This report is based on available preliminary data from 25 principal weather stations operated by Met Éireann. Synoptic station data is midnight to midnight UTC. Long-Term Averages (LTAs) and “average” refer to the period 1991-2020 unless stated.
- A rain day is a day on which 0.2 mm or more of rainfall is measured. A wet day is a day with 1.0 mm or more of rainfall. A dull day is a day with less than 0.5 hours of sunshine. A very wet day is a day with 10.0 mm or more of rainfall.
- Climatological dry periods – An absolute drought is a period of 15 or more consecutive days to none of which is credited 0.2 mm or more of precipitation. A partial drought is a period of at least 29 consecutive days, the mean daily rainfall of which does not exceed 0.2 mm. A dry spell is a period of 15 or more consecutive days to none of which is credited 1.0 mm or more of precipitation (i.e. daily tot < 1.0 mm).
- A heatwave occurs where there are 5 consecutive days or more with maximum temperature over 25°C (that is, a daily maximum screen air temperature > 25° C).
- The ‘Island of Ireland’ dataset is 125 years long and runs between 1900 and 2023. For this dataset the long term averages from the 1961-1990 reference period are used for comparison as is standard for long-term climate change assessments.
- Sunshine data is from the Autosol Network. LTAs for these sites are currently not used for comparison purposes.
- For more information or interview opportunities with a Met Éireann spokesperson, please contact us at enq@met.ie.