Press release
Met Éireann data shows 2023 is the warmest year on record and a year of firsts for Ireland
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
Provisional State of the Irish Climate Report 2023.
It is expected that 2023 will be the warmest year on record for Ireland, beating the previous warmest year of 2022. For the first time, Ireland’s annual average temperature is greater than 11°C (record length 124 years). 2022 was the previous warmest year on record at nearly 10.9°C, narrowly beating 2007 by just 0.1°C.
Keith Lambkin, Head of Climate Services at Met Éireann said:
“Ireland has seen a remarkable year with rainfall and warming at unprecedented levels at times. These record-breaking extremes have knock-on consequences to much of society. Past weather events are no longer a reliable indicator of future weather events, but knowing this allows us to better plan and adapt to our changing climate.”
During the year we saw the following:
It has been over a century since the coldest March (1919), April (1922), May (1923), July (1922), August (1912), September (1918) and November (1919).
Since 2000, on average, one or two months of the year have recorded their top five warmest temperatures. For example in 2022 we had two months within their top 5 warmest. However in 2023, four months reached a “top five warmest on record”: February (5th warmest), May (2nd warmest), June (warmest ever) and September (3rd warmest).
For the first time in a single year since 1941, two months observed their wettest on record, March and July.
For all latest news from Met Éireann visit https://www.met.ie/about-us/latest-news
Met Éireann, the National Meteorological Service, monitors, analyses and predicts Ireland's weather and climate, supporting Irish society and decision-makers with world-class weather, climate and flood services. Met Éireann does this to protect life and property, and to promote wider societal and economic wellbeing.
Met Éireann’s overarching vision is ‘Making Ireland weather and climate prepared - helping Irish society to be ready for and responsive to weather and climate challenges’.
Met Éireann is Ireland’s National Meteorological service as maintained by the State under the UN Convention of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
The Provisional 2023 Past Weather and Climate Statement on the primary (synoptic) weather station network will be published on www.met.ie/climate/past-weather-statements on Thursday 4 January 2024.
Highlights include:
For media enquiries and interview opportunities with Met Éireann’s spokesperson, please contact media@met.ie
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