Seven Irish Weather Stations Surpass 30 Degrees Celsius in May Heat

Ireland experienced exceptionally high temperatures on May 26th, with seven weather stations recording readings above 30 degrees Celsius. This surge shattered the previous national maximum temperature record for May by more than two degrees, according to Met Éireann's Climate Statement for the month.

The highest provisional temperatures reached 30.9 degrees Celsius at Abbeyfeale in County Limerick and Clonmel in County Tipperary. Other locations, including Killarney, Fethard, Castleisland, Durrow, and Kilkenny, also recorded temperatures above 30 degrees. Shannon Airport in County Clare registered 30.6 degrees Celsius on the same day, marking the highest temperature at a synoptic station.

These record-breaking temperatures were attributed to an intense area of high pressure combined with an unseasonably hot tropical air mass. The previous May national record of 28.4 degrees Celsius, set in Ardfert, County Kerry, in 1997, was surpassed at numerous locations starting May 25th. The following day saw even more stations break the old record.

Met Éireann is now conducting a rigorous investigation into the provisional records from the affected stations. Climatologist Paul Moore explained that records from synoptic, climate, and volunteer stations are subject to verification. Abbeyfeale and Clonmel will be investigated first due to their highest readings. If these stations' data are invalidated, the next highest records will be examined until the new official Irish air temperature record for May is confirmed.

Beyond the extreme heat, May 2026 was drier than average, ranking as the 31st driest May since 1900. The national mean temperature for May was 12.54 degrees Celsius, making it the seventh warmest May recorded since 1900. Notably, eight of the ten warmest Mays have occurred since 2001, contrasting with the absence of any of the ten coolest Mays in recent times.

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each of these new records which occurred at synoptic, climate and volunteer stations are now subject to investigation.