Ireland just had its hottest summer ever on record, for the second year in a row

Ireland has experienced what is provisionally the hottest summer since records began back in 1900 for the second year in a row, Met Éireann said in its Climate State for Summer 2026.

Ireland's average temperature during the months of June, July, and August this year was 16.28°C (61.304°F).

The average temperature this summer was 0.09 °C warmer than the previous record of 16.19°C, which was only set in 2025.

It is also 2.03 °C above the long-term average for 1961-1990.

Met Éireann noted on Thursday that six of Ireland's ten hottest summers have occurred since 2001, while provisional gridded rainfall data also shows summer 2026 was drier than average.

Met Éireann's Summer Climate Statement highlights.

In its climate statement, Met Éireann said: "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."

Rainfall in Ireland during Summer 2026

Rainfall was below average in most places during Summer 2026, Met Éireann said on Thursday. 

A partial drought - a period of at least 29 consecutive days when the mean daily rainfall does not exceed 0.2 mm - was recorded at Oak Park in Co Carlow, lasting 66 days from June 20 through August 24, making it the longest partial drought on record since 1941.

15 stations also saw partial droughts during the same period, lasting between 29 and 66 days.

12 stations, mostly in the Midlands, South and East, saw absolute droughts - a period of 15 or more consecutive days during which no day is credited with .2 mm or more of precipitation - between July 1 and July 28, lasting between 15 and 27 days.

All 25 stations saw dry spells - a period of 15 or more consecutive days during which no day is credited with 1.0 mm or more of precipitation - between July 1 and August 2, lasting between 19 and 33 days.

Temperature in Ireland during Summer 2026

14 stations, including all three Dublin stations and three Cork stations, reported their hottest summer on record, Met Éireann said on Thursday.

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 - when the temperature exceeds 25 °C - the highest of which was 23 summer days at Moore Park, Co Cork. The previous longest period of summer days in Moore Park was 15 in 2018 and 1989.

13 stations saw a record number of warm days -  when the temperature exceeds 20 °C - the highest of which was 68 warm days at Phoenix Park, Co Dublin. The previous longest period of warm days in Phoenix Park was 64 in 1994.

Sunshine in Ireland during Summer 2026

Shannon Airport, Co Clare saw its sunniest summer since 1968, where the percentage of seasonal sunshine values was 129% (570.8 hours).

With a percentage of seasonal sunshine values at 132% (625.9 hours), Casement Aerodrome in Co Dublin saw its sunniest summer since 1995.

The highest number of daily sunshine hours recorded during Summer 2026 was 15.8 hours at Malin Head, Co Donegal on Tuesday, July 14.

The number of dull days - days with less than 0.5 hours of sunshine - ranged from seven days at both Dublin Airport and Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin, to 21 days at Belmullet, Co Mayo.