COUNTY CLARE’S CHANGING CLIMATE

IN LINE WITH GLOBAL TRENDS, THE CLIMATE OF IRELAND AND CLARE IS CHANGING, TEMPERATURES ARE INCREASING, SEA LEVELS ARE RISING, AND PATTERNS OF PRECIPITATION ARE CHANGING. A SUMMARY OF KEY CLIMATE AND WEATHERRELATED CHANGES ALREADY OBSERVED FOR CLARE COUNTY ARE DETAILED BELOW. THESE CHANGES ARE PROJECTED TO CONTINUE AND INTENSIFY WITH A WIDE RANGE OF IMPACTS FOR CLARE AND CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL.

0.6oc

Highest temperature on record recorded on July 28th 2018 at Shannon Airport

Average temperature increase of 0.6oc for the 1981-2010 baseline when compared to the 1961-1990 period**

THE LONGEST RUNNING HEATWAVE IN CLARE was recorded at the Shannon Airport weather station during the summer of 2021, lasting a total of 10 days of temperatures over 250C

Sea Levels

in the North-east Atlantic are rising approximately 2 to 3 mm per year between 1992 and 2019 **

Average annual RAINFALL has increased by 5.5% compared to the 1961-1990 period

*Source: Met Éireann long term weather station:Shannon Airport

**Source: Cámaro García and Dwyer (2021 Climate Status Report 2020, EPA Report 386

? What are the main climate issues facing Clare and how can the LACAP address these?