"Rainfall was around average this summer whereas in those two previous summers, rainfall was about half average. We had some hot spells this summer but they were reasonably short so it wasn't an exceptional summer in that way. "But even in an unexceptional summer like we've just had, there can still be record temperatures because of that added heat in the system due to climate change."
"There were also heat domes to our south over central and western Europe so we got a push of warm air from those regions which added short periods of particularly high temperatures,"
"We were also following on from the warmest spring on record. It was very warm and sunny so the ground would have been quite dry leading into the summer and that would exacerbate the temperatures. "You get less evaporative cooling with dry soil"
Spring set record warmth with long dry, sunny spells that pushed March through May well above long-term averages. June, July and August continued the warming trend, producing a second consecutive season of historically high temperatures despite often overcast conditions and near-normal rainfall. Elevated night-time temperatures kept average values high even when daytime heat was modest. High sea-surface temperatures produced marine heatwaves that warmed coastal air. Heat domes over central and western Europe brought short, intense warm spells. A preceding warm, dry spring reduced evaporative cooling from soil, further exacerbating summer temperatures.
Read at Irish Independent
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