Ireland Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Waterford
Summary
Ireland experienced an extraordinary early summer period, capped by its 2nd warmest May to July on record since observations began in 1940. Dominant brought across the island, leading to extended dry spells and heatwave conditions at several weather stations. While conditions settled slightly later in the summer, temperatures remained substantially elevated above the long-term baseline, with mild conditions expected to linger into early autumn.
This month in numbers
The season culminated in July 2026, which recorded a mean temperature of 17.17°C. That sits 2.4°C above the 1961-1990 baseline and ranks as the 5th warmest on record for the month in 87 years of data. Over the broader May to July period, average temperatures reached 14.69°C, an anomaly of +1.9°C that marks the 2nd highest three-month stretch on record, just behind the record set in 2018. Globally, land temperatures for the same three months also reached their 2nd warmest levels ever recorded at 14.34°C, mirroring the intense heat seen across Europe.
What changed
The recent warmth fits into a clear long-term warming trend for Ireland, where average annual temperatures have risen by 0.85°C above the 1961-1990 baseline. Recent years have seen this warming accelerate, with 2025 standing as the 2nd warmest year on record at 10.74°C, surpassed only by 2023. This regional pattern reflects broader continental trends detailed in our European climate overview at Europe, where six of the top ten highest three-month anomalies globally were concentrated in Europe.
What’s driving change?
The primary physical mechanism behind the heat was that parked stationary high-pressure systems over northern Europe, preventing cool maritime air from reaching the island. On a planetary scale, , accelerating temperature rises across European landmasses during summer. Meanwhile, a moderate El Niño is active in the Pacific with a 93% probability of reaching Very Strong intensity, tracked at ENSO. While historical teleconnections for Ireland are relatively weak and inconsistent, strong Pacific events can influence North Atlantic weather patterns during the broader seasonal cycle.
Looking ahead
Extended seasonal forecasts suggest that generally warmer than average conditions are likely to persist across Ireland through late summer and into early autumn.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – Global
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance (countries & continents) · Met Office (UK) · US states & climate regions. Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Ireland
Köppen Cfb · TemperateIreland has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfb: Oceanic / temperate), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 15.3°C, while January is the coldest at 5.8°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1254mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly precipitation.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Ireland
Right axis: everything else standardized to standard deviations (σ) from its own average, since mm/hours/days aren't directly comparable to °C or to each other.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Heatwave Days – Ireland
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI heatwave measure: days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Ireland
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Monthly Temperature – Ireland
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Records – Ireland
Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Cfb · TemperateHow spring and autumn have shifted in Ireland. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (9.6°C, from 1940–1969); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 10.1°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Feb (+1.5°C).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
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.
Country-level temperature anomaly, sourced from Copernicus ERA5 and Hadley HadCRUT5.
Annual country and global CO₂ emissions, from the Global Carbon Project.
Monthly rainfall - Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD) preferred, World Bank CCKP/CRU TS fallback where GPCC lacks direct coverage.
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
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 headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in Ireland?
Ireland has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfb: Oceanic / temperate), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 15.3°C, while January is the coldest at 5.8°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1254mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
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.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the Ireland climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the Ireland climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.