Ireland Climate
Top 5 Cities: Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Waterford
This month in numbers
Ireland experienced its 3rd warmest April on record, with an average temperature of 10.4°C, a significant 2.4°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. This marks a continuation of unusually warm conditions, as the February–April 2026 period also ranked as the 3rd warmest on record, with an average of 8.38°C, 2°C above the baseline. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April for land temperatures, with the February–April period also ranking 2nd warmest globally.
What changed
The past three months have seen Ireland consistently warmer than average, with February, March, and April all recording mean temperatures well above their historical averages. February 2026 was particularly mild, ranking as the 13th mildest February since 1900. This regional warming trend aligns with the broader European picture, where the continent as a whole experienced a 1-month anomaly of +2.48°C. Ireland's 1-month anomaly of +2.44°C was only slightly cooler than the European average.
What’s driving change?
The persistent warmth in Ireland over recent months can be attributed to several factors. A significant warming driver has been jet stream shifts, which in February saw a south-shifted jet stream bringing low-pressure systems close to or over Ireland, resulting in milder and wetter conditions, particularly in the east and south. While the current ENSO state is Neutral, with a strong forecast for El Niño to develop in the coming months (ENSO tracker), its direct influence on Ireland's recent warmth has been muted. However, a weakened earlier in the year contributed to a -pressure area over continental Europe, which influenced the jet stream's position and brought warmer air from the Atlantic to Ireland.
Looking ahead
The forecast for the coming months suggests a high probability of El Niño developing, which historically has tended to bring cooler late winters to Northern Europe, though very strong El Niños have sometimes reversed this trend.
Sources:
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Ireland
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) — see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Ireland changing?
Ireland is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The trend rate is shown as °C per decade in the headline panel; you can also see the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Ireland come from?
Climate data for Ireland comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Ireland climate data cover?
The Ireland climate profile covers Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and surrounding areas. Atlantic storms, shifting rainfall and rising temperatures across the island
How often is the Ireland climate update refreshed?
The Ireland climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.