Met Éireann: September 2026 was Ireland's second warmest on record
Met Éireann's climate statement says September 2026 averaged 15.22C, the second-warmest September since records began in 1900, behind 2021. It attributed the continued warming trend mainly to human-caused climate change.
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The story, neutrally told
MixedMet Éireann's climate statement for September 2026 ranked it as the second-warmest September in Ireland since records began in 1900. Irish IndependentRC “Last month was the second warmest September since records began in 1900” Read at Irish Independent ↗ The Irish TimesLC “Ireland has experienced its second hottest September on record provisional data showed” Read at The Irish Times ↗ MixedThe mean national temperature was 15.22C, 1.62C above the long-term average. The Irish Times says that is just behind September 2021, at 15.27C, and that the ranking is provisional. Irish IndependentRC “The average temperature for the month was 15.22C which is 1.62C warmer than the long term average” Read at Irish Independent ↗ The Irish TimesLC “That was only behind September 2021 when average temperature was just slightly higher at 15.27 degrees.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ LeftThe Irish Times adds that the 1.62C figure is against the 1991-2020 average and that the month was 2.29C above the 1961-1990 average. The Irish TimesLC “it was 1.62 degrees warmer than the 1991-2020 average and 2.29 degrees above the 1961-1990 average” Read at The Irish Times ↗
RightEight stations had their warmest September on record, including Shannon Airport, Co Clare, with a mean of 15.8C over 81 years of records. A further five recorded their joint warmest September. Irish IndependentRC “The weather station in Shannon Airport, County Clare had its warmest September on record, in the last 81 years; the mean temperature recorded was 15.8C.”“There were seven other stations that had their warmest September on record. A further five recorded their joint warmest September.” Read at Irish Independent ↗ RightThe highest temperature was 25.2C at Phoenix Park, Co Dublin, on September 14. The lowest was 2.6C at Markree, Co Sligo. Irish IndependentRC “The highest temperature recorded was in Phoenix Park, Co Dublin, which was 25.2C. This was recorded on September 14”“The lowest air temperature recorded in September was in the weather station in Markree, Co Sligo with a temperature of 2.6C.” Read at Irish Independent ↗ LeftThe month was also wet and cloudy. National rainfall was 116.8mm, 117 per cent of the 1991-2020 average, and provisionally the 38th-wettest September on record. The Irish TimesLC “September was also wetter than average, with recordings of 116.8mm of rainfall. This was 117 per cent of the 1991-to-2020 average.”“Provisionally ranked the 38th wettest September on record” Read at The Irish Times ↗
RightOak Park, Co Carlow, received 110.6mm (163pc of its average) and the month's highest daily total, 38.6mm on September 27. Newport, Co Mayo, was wettest overall with 172.3mm. Irish IndependentRC “The weather station in Oak Park, Co Carlow, receiving 110.6mm of rainfall which is 163pc of the stations LTA.”“The area that recorded the most rain for the full month was Newport, Co Mayo, who had 172.3mm of rainfall.” Read at Irish Independent ↗ RightSunshine was mostly below average, with only one station above its average: Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin, recorded 134 hours, 106% of its average. Irish IndependentRC “it was a dull month for sunshine, with only one station reporting sunshine values more than average.”“The Casement Aerodrome, Co Dublin recorded 134 hours of sunshine which is at 106% of their LTA.” Read at Irish Independent ↗ LeftMet Éireann described a mild, mobile Atlantic airflow, with low pressure to the north and high pressure to the south. Its sunniest days followed cold fronts, and several of its warmest days followed warm fronts bringing tropical maritime air. The Irish TimesLC “Low pressure to the north and high pressure to the south during most of the month resulted in a predominantly mild, mobile Atlantic airflow with frequent rain or showers.”“Several of the warmest days – September 2nd, 12th, 14th and 21st – saw temperatures reach the mid-20s in places” Read at The Irish Times ↗
MixedMet Éireann said human-caused climate change is "the overriding factor behind this continued warming trend". Climatologist Paul Moore said the warmth despite a wet, cloudy month showed the continued background warming. Irish IndependentRC ““is the overriding factor behind this continued warming trend.”” Read at Irish Independent ↗ The Irish TimesLC “That it was also quite wet and cloudy during the month showed the continued background warming, due to human-caused climate change, Moore said.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ MixedMet Éireann said six of the 10 warmest Septembers have occurred since 2001 and none of the 10 coolest has. The year has already brought Ireland's third-warmest spring and hottest summer on record. The Irish TimesLC “six of the 10 warmest Septembers on record have occurred since 2001. None of the 10 coolest has occurred during that period.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Irish IndependentRC “September’s high temperature follow a summer that Met Éireann confirmed was the hottest summer on record.” Read at Irish Independent ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- The Irish Times leads with the climate-change attribution and the long-term warming trend, giving the comparison with September 2021 and the temperature anomaly against 1961-1990.
- Emphasis
- Climate-change causation, the record ranking and its provisional status, the decadal pattern (six of the 10 warmest Septembers since 2001), the synoptic weather pattern, and Paul Moore's quotes.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Gives few station-level records, such as Shannon Airport's record, Phoenix Park's high, and the Oak Park and Newport rainfall figures.
- Charged language
- “continuing recent trends of patterns of warming domestic weather”
- For example
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“Human-caused climate change singled out as temperatures rise two degrees above 1961-1990 average” — The Irish Times
“Met Éireann said six of the 10 warmest Septembers on record have occurred since 2001.” — The Irish Times
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- The Irish Independent presents a data-led weather report that leads with the record-breaking stations and the 1.62C anomaly. It mentions the climate-change attribution in a single line.
- Emphasis
- Station-by-station figures: warmest-September records, temperature extremes, rainfall and sunshine totals.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention that the 15.22C mean was just behind September 2021's 15.27C, that the ranking is provisional, or Paul Moore's comments.
- For example
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“Met Éireann said eight weather stations recorded their warmest September’s on record” — Irish Independent
“The statement said that the human causing climate change “is the overriding factor behind this continued warming trend.”” — Irish Independent
What every side reports
- September 2026 was the second-warmest September in Ireland since records began in 1900, with a mean temperature of 15.22C, 1.62C above the long-term average.
- Met Éireann called human-caused climate change "the overriding factor behind this continued warming trend".
- The month was wet and cloudy despite the warmth.
- Summer 2026 was Ireland's hottest on record.
Met Éireann organisation
Met Éireann's climate statement ranks September 2026 provisionally as the second-warmest on record and names human-caused climate change as the overriding factor behind the continued warming trend. Climatologist Paul Moore said the month's warmth, despite being wet and cloudy, showed this background warming.
“Met Éireann said the month was “provisionally” the second-warmest September on record for Ireland.” — The Irish Times
“is the overriding factor behind this continued warming trend.” — Irish Independent
Left1 article
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Last month was second-hottest September on record, Met Éireann says
Neutral Leads on human-caused climate change and the warming trend, with the comparison to 2021 and quotes from a Met Éireann climatologist.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
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September was Ireland’s second warmest on record, new Met Éireann figures show
Neutral Station-by-station data report on records, rainfall and sunshine, with the climate-change attribution as a brief line.
- 2 Oct 11:33 First Irish IndependentRC September was Ireland’s second warmest on record, new Met Éireann figures show
- 2 Oct 18:31 +6h 58m The Irish TimesLC Last month was second-hottest September on record, Met Éireann says
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.