LAST UPDATE | 12 Aug 2022

IRELAND’S AUGUST RECORD for high temperature has provisionally been broken, according Met Éireann. 

A new August record of 31.7°C has been set in Oak Park, Co Carlow, a measuring site which also held the previous August record of  31.5°C set in 1995. 

Met Éireann temperature stations in several parts of the midlands and south-east have recorded temperatures of 31 degrees of above today, with the record level to be checked before it is declared official. 

Oak Park, Co Carlow has now reached 31.7°C (11.8°C above its 1981-2010 Long-Term Average). Provisionally beating the all-time August max temp record for Ireland, which was 31.5°C, set at both Ballybrittas, Co Laois in 1975 and Oak Park in 1995🧵 pic.twitter.com/dIUdhcUhRH

— Irish Observational Climatology (@METclimate) August 12, 2022

Met Éireann has extended the Status Yellow High Temperature for the country until 6am on Monday with up to 30 degrees forecast in the days ahead. 

The mercury also reached 30.5 degrees in Carlow yesterday.

The current hot spell marks the first time since 1995 that Ireland has experienced temperatures over 30°C during two summer months, and the first time since 1976 that it’s happened during two consecutive summer months.

A Status Yellow high temperature warning has been in place since midday yesterday for Leinster and Munster.

The same warning will be in place for the entire country from midday today. This was due to lift at 6am on Sunday but has now been extended to 6am on Monday. 

A Status Yellow thunderstorm warning has also been issued by the UK Met Office for all counties in Northern Ireland. This will be in place from 12pm on Sunday until 6am on Monday. 

The coasts will be coolers, with sea breezes developing in the afternoon and fog in some areas.

Paul Downes, a Met Éireann meteorologist, has said that “for the first time this summer we can say with a high degree of confidence that heatwave criteria will be met in some parts of the country.”

The definition of a heat wave in Ireland is shaded air temperatures reaching highs of above 25 degrees on five or more consecutive days at the same location.

This criteria is likely to be met in inland areas in Leinster and Munster.

Met Éireann said it will be “uncomfortably warm” at night with temperatures generally staying above 15 degrees. The forecaster warned of heat stress, particularly for vulnerable people, and a high solar UV index alongside risk of water-related incidents.

A number of fires were reported throughout the country yesterday.

People have been advised to stay hydrated and conserve water where possible. The risk of fire will be high with very dry conditions so people are also reminded to properly extinguish any barbeques and avoid lighting open fires in wooded or grassland areas.

Interim CMO Dr Breda Smyth urged the public earlier this week to be “sun smart”, applying suncream regularly and seeking shade when the sun’s rays are strongest – and most harmful – in the mid-morning and afternoon.

In the UK, a drought is set to be declared for some parts of England on Friday, with temperatures to hit 35C making the country hotter than parts of the Caribbean.

The UN’s IPCC has said that global warming has caused an increase in the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events like heatwaves.

Ireland recorded its hottest temperature in at least 135 years last month. The Met Éireann measuring site at Phoenix Park in Dublin hit 33 degrees Celsius on 18 July.

With reporting from PA, Rónán Duffy and Orla Dwyer.