Cold December the exception in record-breaking warm year

Figures from Met Éireann suggest 2022 was the warmest year in Ireland in recorded history.

The average temperature across the State was 10.8 degrees, some 1.3 degrees higher than average. It makes it warmer than 1945 and 2007, the previous record years, when the average temperature was 10.7 degrees.

2022′s figures provide further evidence of global warming. It was the 12th consecutive year of above-normal temperatures in Ireland, with 21 of the 22 years so far this century being above normal.

The warmest recorded temperatures in Ireland for both July and August happened last year. A high of 33 degrees was recorded at the Phoenix Park on Monday, July 18th, the second-highest temperature recorded in Ireland. The highest was 33.3 degrees recorded at Kilkenny Castle on June 26th, 1888.

Batteries are vital to ending fossil fuel dependence

---

Wave of innovation aims to make desalination sustainable

---

Former presidential candidate Peter Casey to contest European Parliament elections

---

Catastrophic decline of wild Irish salmon is another of the slow scandals of Irish life

---

December was an exception. Many weather stations had their coldest December since 2010, a year that experienced a prolonged, extreme cold spell around Christmas time.

[ Europe’s record temperatures provide little comfort in an ever-warming world ]

[ Achieving 5% emissions cut in 2023 is ‘challenging’ but possible, says Eamon Ryan ]

Markree Castle in Co Sligo had a mean temperature 2.7 degrees lower than normal for the month, Mount Dillon in Co Roscommon 2.2 degrees below the long-term average, and Sherkin Island one degree below normal. All three stations had their coldest December in 12 years.

The minus 8.8 degrees recorded at Mount Dillon on Friday, December 16th was also the lowest minimum recorded in Ireland since 2010. By contrast, the highest temperature of the month, a relatively balmy 15 degrees, was recorded at the Phoenix Park just three days later.

The psychology of climate denial

Listen | 20:35

All stations reported air and ground frost during the month. The number of days with ground frost ranged from eight at Sherkin Island to 28 at Markree.

Very cold Arctic air masses dominated early December, with high pressure to the north and the jetstream displaced well to the south of Ireland, leading to drier than average conditions. The situation changed dramatically on the 18th, when warmer air came up from the south, and the rest of the month was relatively mild.

Many parts of Europe have experienced record-breaking high winter temperatures, particularly at the start of this month. The warmest January day ever was recorded in at least eight European countries, including Poland, Denmark, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Belarus, Lithuania and Latvia.

Between December 31st and January 2nd, 950 weather records in Germany were broken and in Spain, Bilbao, experienced its hottest ever January day with a high of 24.9 degrees. The hot weather was caused by a warm air mass that has travelled across Europe from North Africa and covered most of the Continent. It extended into southeast England, but no further, explaining why Ireland has not experienced any temperature extremes.