Northern Ireland Climate – July 2026 Update
City Coverage: Belfast, Derry, Lisburn, Newry, Bangor, and Armagh
Summary
Northern Ireland has capped an unprecedented summer with its warmest June to August on record, driven by sustained seasonal heat that culminated in a warm August. The latest month saw mean temperatures reach 15.2°C, registering 1.5°C above the long-term baseline and ranking as the 13th warmest August in 127 years of records. This capped a summer season where average temperatures hit 15.4°C, marking the region's highest summer mean temperature since records began in 1900. Settled conditions eased toward late summer with fresher Atlantic air, with long-range outlooks indicating near-average temperatures as autumn begins.
This month in numbers
Northern Ireland recorded a mean temperature of 15.2°C in August 2026, which is 1.5°C above the 1961–1990 baseline and ranks 13th highest in 127 years of record-keeping. However, the defining milestone comes from the full June to August period: with a 3-month average temperature of 15.4°C, 2.0°C above baseline, Northern Ireland experienced its 1st warmest summer on record since 1900. Sunshine was noticeably lacking during the month, totaling just 97 hours, which is 38 hours below average and ranks as the 109th sunniest August out of 117 years. Rainfall reached 84.3 mm, standing 10 mm below average and ranking 83rd out of 127 years.
What changed
The extraordinary summer heat reflected a broader regional warming trend across the British Isles and globally. On a national scale, the United Kingdom provisionally recorded its warmest summer on record with a mean temperature of 16.5°C. Globally, land temperatures from May to July 2026 ranked as the 2nd warmest on record, running 1.5°C above average. For Northern Ireland, this record-breaking summer builds upon a long-term warming trajectory of +1.15°C above baseline, following on from 2025, which was the region's 2nd warmest full calendar year on record at an average of 10.05°C.
What’s driving change?
The persistent warmth across Northern Ireland during summer was largely steered by atmospheric that frequently anchored high pressure over Europe and pushed tropical air masses northward. Local weather was further influenced by seasonal shifts in regional sea surface temperatures, maintaining elevated overnight minimums. On a global scale, climate patterns are currently set against a backdrop of a moderate El Niño in the tropical Pacific (ENSO), which is intensifying and forecast with a 93% probability to reach a Very Strong peak between September and November. Although teleconnections between ENSO and northern European weather are historically inconsistent, global ocean warming continues to raise baseline air temperatures across the region.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – UKUnited Kingdom
Source: Met Office UK Regional & National series (Tmean, Precipitation, Sunshine, Air Frost) © Crown copyright, plus GPCC (Snow, water-equivalent). Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Northern Ireland
Köppen Cfb · TemperateNorthern 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 15.0°C, while January is the coldest at 4.6°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1147mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly rain, with snow (water-equivalent) shown separately.
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright.
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Northern Ireland
Precipitation, Sunshine, Frost and Snow are converted to standard deviations from their own average so they can share an axis with Temperature.
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright.
Heatwave Days – Northern Ireland
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - 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 – Northern Ireland
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright.
Monthly Temperature – Northern Ireland
Latest month is provisional and may be revised by the data provider in the next update cycle.
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright.
Records – Northern Ireland
Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Cfb · TemperateHow spring and autumn have shifted in Northern Ireland. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (8.2°C, from 1900–1929); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 9.5°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Jun (+1.8°C).
Data: Met Office UK Regional Series © Crown copyright.
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Northern 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.
UK Tmean / Tmax / Tmin, rainfall, rain-days, sunshine and air-frost series. © Crown copyright.
Warm Spell Duration Index: days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature, ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Northern Ireland changing?
Northern 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 Northern Ireland?
Northern 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 15.0°C, while January is the coldest at 4.6°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1147mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Where does the climate data for Northern Ireland come from?
Climate data for Northern Ireland comes from the UK Met Office HadUK-Grid (temperature, rainfall, sunshine, air frost), 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 Northern Ireland climate data cover?
The Northern Ireland climate profile covers Belfast, Derry, Lisburn, Newry and surrounding areas. Northern Ireland climate data from Belfast to the north-west
How often is the Northern Ireland climate update refreshed?
The Northern 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 Northern 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 Northern 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.