Met Éireann report shows 2024 was fourth warmest on record

Met Éireann says temperatures in Ireland were more than 1°C above the long-term average during 2024, marking the fourth warmest year on record here.

In its Climate Provisional Summary Report for 2024, Met Éireann said the average temperature last year was 1.17 °C above the 1961-1990 climatological standard normal period and 0.55 °C above the 1991-2020 Long-Term Average (LTA).

Seven of the ten warmest years in Ireland have occurred since 2005.

Meanwhile, the World Meteorological Organization‘s (WMO) annual climate report for 2024 has found that last year was the warmest on record, with a global mean temperature of 0.13° C above pre-industrial levels.

The report also found glacier loss at record levels, with the most significant three-year decline in recorded history.

The highest temperature recorded this year was 26.6 °C at Phoenix Park in Dublin on June 24th, while the lowest temperature was -7.3 °C at Athenry in Galway on January 18th.

The highest daily rainfall total was recorded on November 23rd at Mayo‘s Knock Airport, where 57.4 mm fell.

2024 saw seven named storms impact Ireland, with Storm Darragh on December 6th bringing the strongest winds of the year.

Mace Head in Galway recorded a gust of 76 knots (141 km/h) and a ten-minute mean wind speed of 60 knots (111 km/h).

Met Éireann Senior Climatologist, Dr. Pádraig Flattery said, “2024 was Ireland’s fourth warmest year on record, and follows our warmest year ever recorded.”

He continued, “Rising temperatures increase the chance of severe weather events and emphasise the need for climate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as robust adaptation to deal with the consequences of climate change.”

View the full report from Met Éireann here.