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Met Éireann report says last year was warmest on record

Fans shelter from the rain at April's Ulster GAA Football Senior Championship Quarter Final between Monaghan and Down at St Tiernach's Park in Clones. Picture by Philip Walsh
Fans shelter from the rain at April's Ulster GAA Football Senior Championship Quarter Final between Monaghan and Down at St Tiernach's Park in Clones. Picture by Philip Walsh Fans shelter from the rain at April's Ulster GAA Football Senior Championship Quarter Final between Monaghan and Down at St Tiernach's Park in Clones. Picture by Philip Walsh

LAST year was the warmest on record, according to the Republic's meteorological service.

Met Éireann's annual report said temperatures in 2022 were 0.06 °C warmer than 2007, the previous warmest year.

Last year's highest temperature in the south was reported at Phoenix Park in Dublin on Monday July 18, where the mercury soared to 33°C, the second highest temperature ever recorded.

July and August's weather was influenced by high pressure from the Azores building over Ireland on several occasions, leading to warmer and drier conditions than average.

The report indicates that the warming trend is "in line" with an increased global average.

It notes that other parts of the world are warming at an even greater rate and that the summer of 2022 saw multiple heatwaves and record-breaking temperatures across Europe and around the world.

December was the only month of the year with below average temperatures. Last month saw a prolonged cold spell under an Arctic air mass during the first half of the month, followed by Atlantic dominance for the second half.

The spring and summer of 2022 were drier than average, the report said

Valentia in Co Kerry experienced the highest annual rainfall at 1678.7 mm, while Dublin Airport's 688.2 mm was the lowest.

It was the warmest year since 2007 at nine weather stations in the Republic, while 10 stations reported their highest daily maximum temperature on record.

The UK’s Met Office recorded an annual average temperature of more than 10°C for the first time last year, confirming 2022 to be the hottest year on record.

Met Éireann climatologist Keith Lambkin said climate change had "changed the odds of getting more frequent, more extreme heat related events".