Weather warning as temperatures surpass May record

Several counties in Ireland have been put under a weather warning during a spell of high temperatures that have already surpassed May records.

Temperatures of 30.5C were recorded in provisional data on Tuesday, according to Met Eireann.

Clare, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Galway, Kilkenny, Laois and Offaly were put under a yellow warning between midday on Tuesday and 6pm on Wednesday.

Met Eireann said maximum temperatures would exceed 27C and night-time levels of above 15C could be expected.

It warned of water safety issues because of increased use of lakes and beaches, the possibility of forest fires, and uncomfortable sleeping conditions as well as heat stress.

⚠️Status Yellow High Temperature Warning Issued for:

📍Clare, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Galway, Kilkenny, Laois & Offaly

⏲️Valid: 12:00 today 26/05 to 18:00 tomorrow, Wed 27/05

➡️Max temps >27°C combined with night-time minima >15°C expected.

🔗https://t.co/w5QtJ1UyEP pic.twitter.com/jOrVRCyHpm

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) May 26, 2026

Met Eireann said its station at Shannon Airport in Co Clare logged a May highest temperature of 28.6C on Monday, surpassing a 1997 record of 28.4C in Co Kerry.

On Tuesday, those levels appeared to be surpassed in the early data published by the forecaster.

Met Eireann’s station at Shannon Airport reported 30.5C at 3pm, provisionally a new record.

Higher temperatures were recorded in unofficial provisional observations at Met Eireann’s automatic climate stations (ACS) on both days, with Clonmel ACS recording 30.7C at 2pm on Tuesday – although these figures can take longer to verify.

The forecasting agency said the hot weather would continue into Wednesday with top temperatures of 22C to 31C, hottest in the Midwest and West.

In Northern Ireland, the highest maximum temperature on Monday of 25.8C was recorded at Derrylin, Cornahoule.

Tuesday had highest temperatures in the region of between 20C and 23C.