This month has been the hottest June on record since 1940.
Met Eireann announced Ireland has experienced its first June with over 16 degrees Celsius average temperatures, exceeding the previous June record which held for 83 years. June 2023 is set to be more than half a degree higher than June 1940.
The hottest day of 2023 was as reported at Oak Park in Co Carlow on Tuesday, June 13. This is the third consecutive year that a temperature at or above this value has been observed in Ireland.
Climate change makes record-breaking temperatures like these more likely, and the recent marine heatwave off the coast of Ireland has brought extreme sea-surface temperatures to Irish shores. Met Eireann researcher Dr Padraig Flattery said: "As climate change continues, we can expect further records to be broken and more frequent and extreme weather events.
Read more: Met Eireann issue gloomy forecast with 'unseasonably' windy conditions
"A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture (about 7% for every 1 degree Celsius of warming) and warmer waters, in turn, provide more energy for storms and can contribute to extreme rainfall events."
Met Eireann's Climatologist Paul Moore said this year's warm June was a part of a warming trend that research shows will continue. He said: "An average monthly temperature of greater than 16 degrees has been seen in July and August but never before in June.
"June 2023 was well above normal due to persistent warm days and nights."
Ireland has seen nine days of intense thunderstorms over the past two weeks with heavy downpours, lightning and, at times, hail. The World Meteorological Organisation recently warned that Europe is warming twice as fast as other continents. 16,000 people died as a result of extreme heat last year and widespread droughts caused significant economic impacts.
The rate of June heat waves has tripled in Spain in the past 12 years. June 2023 was also the warmest June of record for the UK.
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