Parts of Ireland have narrowly missed out on matching a record heatwave amid a prolonged spell of high temperatures, according to provisional data from Met Éireann. The Irish forecasting agency defines a heatwave as five or more consecutive summer days above 25°C.
Record Heatwave Nearly Matched
The longest heatwave on record for Ireland was 14 days from August 14-27, 1976, at both Birr Castle, Co Offaly, and Ballybrittas, Co Laois. This was almost matched in Moore Park, Co Cork, which entered the weekend on a long streak of days above 25°C, with Saturday potentially becoming the 14th in a row. However, the 50-year record remains unbroken as Moore Park recorded a provisional high of 24.9°C at 3pm and appeared set to cool off thereafter.
Nationwide Advisory and Impacts
A nationwide high-temperature advisory remains in place until the end of the weekend. Potential impacts include water safety issues due to increased use of waterways, lakes, and beaches; heat stress and dehydration, especially for the vulnerable and elderly; public transport disruption; animal welfare concerns; and potential droughts. The advisory started last Wednesday and has been extended to expire at the end of Sunday.
Parts of south Tipperary, Wexford, Dublin, Kildare, Meath, and Wicklow were placed under a hosepipe ban from Thursday until August 26. Meanwhile, fears over wildfires amid the hot and dry weather were realized in Co Kerry and the Dublin Mountains earlier in the week. Retailers were asked to voluntarily suspend the sale of disposable barbecues following a wildfire in Killarney.
Climate Projections
Ireland's climate is projected to get warmer, with average temperature increasing across all seasons and on an annual basis, while the number of heatwaves is also projected to increase. In its annual climate statement, Met Éireann said Ireland's overall warming continues in line with the global warming trend, with seven of the top 10 warmest years in the country happening since 2005 and last year being the second warmest year on record.
Further warming means the likelihood of extreme weather events has increased. Climate change poses risks across all sectors of the economy, society, and environment, from energy, transport, and communications to water security, public health, food production, supply, and ecosystems. In addition, the country is set to become wetter overall with an increase in average rainfall, but that rainfall will come as part of increased seasonality, meaning wetter winters and drier summers, with more frequent droughts projected for summer and spring months. The Environmental Protection Agency also said there will be an increased exposure to coastal flooding with a projected rise in sea levels.
