This year's extremely warm and sunny July broke temperature records at weather stations across the country, according to Met Éireann.
Mean temperatures were well above average, with about 2.5 degrees hotter in parts of the west and midlands. It was the warmest July on record at stations in the west, parts of Dublin, the southwest and midlands.
Valentia Observatory had a mean temperature of 17.3 degrees, 2 degrees above average, equalling its highest temperature for the month since 1921.
Nine stations reported heatwave conditions, which is defined as five days or more with temperatures above 25 degrees.
However, despite the recent heat, most weather stations actually recorded higher maximum temperatures in July 2005 and 2006.
The majority of stations recorded drought conditions, defined as 15 consecutive days or more with less than 0.2mm of rain.
Rainfall levels were variable across the country with stations in Dublin, the midlands, and the Atlantic coast recording higher than average totals because of the heavy thunderstorms in the second half of the month. Other stations recorded below average rainfall levels.
The highest daily rainfall reported was at Ballincurrig (Peafield), Co Cork with 62.5 mm recorded on July 24th/25th, which ranks as its highest July daily rainfall since 2006.
Sunshine was well above average everywhere. Cork Airport recorded 265 hours of sunshine, the most sunshine recorded for any month since records began in 1962.
Last month started off with unsettled weather, patchy drizzle, and cloudy conditions. This made way for good periods of extended sunshine and high daily maximum temperatures.
Unsettled weather returned later in the month, bringing thundery downpours and heavy isolated showers.
