Warm summer nights push 2025 ahead of 1995 in record books

This summer has provisionally been confirmed as the warmest on record for Ireland, according to new figures from Met Éireann.

Data from the State’s long-term stations, which date back to 1900, show that the average temperature for June, July and August was 16.19 degrees, almost two degrees above the long-term average and marginally higher than the previous record set in 1995.

Met Éireann climatologist Paul Moore said the conditions highlighted how climate change is reshaping Ireland’s weather. “It has not been particularly sunny, but the dry soils from spring, high sea surface temperatures, heat domes over mainland Europe and periods of high pressure kept temperatures consistently above average, especially at night. Even taking into account the late August dip, the summer of 2025 has narrowly surpassed 1995.”

Warm nights were a decisive factor, with many stations recording their highest mean minimum temperatures for summer. While 1995 was remembered for extreme daytime heat, including a high of 30.8 degrees in Kilkenny, this year’s record came from persistent warmth throughout the season. June, July and August all ranked within the ten warmest for their respective months.

Rainfall was close to normal overall, with Ireland recording 98 per cent of average summer rainfall. Some regions were notably wetter, including Athenry in Co Galway which had its wettest summer in a 31-year record, while other areas such as Cork were considerably drier.

Six of the ten warmest Irish summers on record have now occurred since 2000. Met Éireann noted that Ireland’s mean air temperature has risen by about 1.1 degrees since 1900, with the strongest increases in summer minimum temperatures.

The agency said climate projections indicate that summers warmer than 2025 are likely to become more common as the century progresses.