Laois the second hottest place in Ireland in record breaking weather year says Met Eireann

The second higest temperature in Ireland was recorded in Durrow during 2022 which Met Eireann says was provisionally the country's hottest year.

Ireland's weather forecaster says the all time highest maximum temperature records for July and August were also broken this year.

The temperature at the Phoenix Park on Monday, July 18 hit 33°C which is 12.9°C above its 1981-2010 long-term average.

Apart from having the second warmest day of 2022, Durrow in Laois  had the highest ever August  temperature on Saturday, August 13. It reached 32.1°C in the south Laois town.

Met Eireann says that, provisionally, 2022 was the warmest year since 1900, ahead of previous warmest years: 1945 and 2007. The forecaster says an average temperature of just over 10.8°C was recorded in 2022.

Last year was also the 12th consecutive year above normal temperature in Ireland, with 21 of the 22 years this century all being above normal.

Met Eireann says other countries are warming at a greater rate than Ireland and the summer of 2022 saw multiple heatwaves and record-breaking temperatures across Europe and around the world.

In Ireland, the spring and summer of 2022 were drier than average, which the forecaster says had negative consequences for agriculture and wider society.

Met Eireann says the latest Irish climate change projections indicate further warming in the future, drier summers on average and an increased chance of heatwaves and periods of drought. It adds that the Irish summer of 2022 is broadly consistent with projected future trends. While climate change projections also indicate a trend toward warmer winters, cold periods like those experienced this December cannot be ruled out in any particular year.

Keith Lambkin, the Head of Met Éireann’s Climate Services Division said: “Climate change has changed the odds of getting more frequent, more extreme heat related events. Thanks to over a century of dedicated weather observations here in Ireland, we know that 2022 brought us record-breaking extremes as well as what is likely to be the warmest year on Irish record.

"It is essential that we must continue to adapt to ensure our national infrastructures and planning are best suited to both current and future warming,” he said.

The lowest daily air temperature at our synoptic stations was -8.8°C at Mount Dillon, Co. Roscommon (10.9°C below its LTA) on Friday 16th December 2022.