Ireland's record-setting summer heat in 2026 came with a cost beyond higher temperatures, according to RTÉ.
A new study found that climate change increased the atmosphere's ability to pull moisture from Irish soil and plants, increasing the impact of the country's driest July on record beyond what the lack of rainfall alone would explain.
Here's what to know
An analysis of Ireland's summer 2026 conditions found that human-driven warming sharply increased the odds of extremely high evaporative demand in July, making it about eight times more likely and roughly 7% more intense.
July was extraordinarily dry even before temperature effects were considered. Ireland got a scant 0.63 inches (16.1 millimeters) of rain during the month, or about 17% of the 1991-2020 average, setting a new record for the driest July.
But the study said the strongest climate attribution was not tied to the lack of rain itself, and researchers found no clear link between the very low July rainfall and human-caused climate change, RTÉ reported.
Heat, by contrast, showed up much more clearly in the findings. Ireland's average summer temperature reached 61.3 degrees Fahrenheit (16.28 degrees Celsius) in 2026, marking the country's second consecutive hottest summer.
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Fourteen of Met Éireann's 25 principal stations recorded their hottest summer on record, and Phoenix Park in Dublin logged 68 days above 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius).
The same research estimated that climate change has made summers with 2026-like daytime extremes about 40 times more likely.
Especially warm nighttime lows, meanwhile, are now more than 1,000 times as likely.
More background
Ireland's farms and ecosystems have long depended on relatively reliable rain and soil moisture.
When that balance shifts, impacts can appear quickly in food production and land management.
In southern and eastern counties, severe soil moisture deficits reduced grass growth enough that some livestock farmers had to use extra feed and even draw on fodder intended for winter.
Tillage and horticultural crops were also affected, and growers relied more heavily on irrigation for potatoes and vegetables. The study also found a whiplash pattern that can make climate impacts harder to manage.
October-to-March rainfall before summer 2026 was estimated to be roughly 35 times more likely due to climate change and about 27% heavier, helping set up wetter winters and lush vegetation before heat and dryness took over.
Dr. Claire Bergin of Maynooth University's ICARUS Climate Research Centre said that combination can leave fields waterlogged late in the season before they quickly turn parched when warm, rain-scarce conditions arrive, per RTÉ. That means low grass yields but high wildfire risk thanks to all the dried-out plants.
What's being done?
One part of the response is improving attribution and planning.
Researchers at Maynooth University led the study with support from Met Éireann and Teagasc, and the work helps show farmers and land managers how climate change is already altering Irish weather so they can adapt more effectively.
Preparation can no longer focus only on rainfall totals.
As conditions get hotter, the atmosphere can dry out soils and vegetation more quickly, making planning for irrigation, fodder supplies, crop selection, and wildfire risk increasingly important.
The researchers also warned that the trend is not expected to ease soon, RTÉ revealed.
In a world that reaches 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius) of warming, July potential evapotranspiration is expected to climb by close to another 6% from current levels, adding even more stress during dry spells.
As Met Éireann climatologist Paul Moore noted, per RTÉ, the "stable climate of the recent past, under which our modern ecosystem evolved, no longer exists."
Where can I learn more?
These stories look at how rising heat is worsening drought, explaining how hotter, drier conditions are straining water supplies, crops, and ecosystems.
• Along the Potomac, rising heat is worsening evaporation, deepening water shortage risks.
• Worldwide, megadroughts are becoming more destructive, with impacts that can persist for decades.
• Across regions and sectors, cascading impacts of drought hit water, food, energy, and health.
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