Ireland has provisionally experienced its hottest summer on record, according to new figures from Met Éireann.

The average temperature across the country during June, July and August reached 16.28C.

That was 0.09C higher than the previous record, which was set just last year, and 2.03C above the long-term summer average between 1961 and 1990.

Separate figures for August show temperatures remained above average across the country during the final month of summer.

Met Éireann described August as ‘very warm and dry’, with high pressure dominating for significant periods of the month.

A hot continental air mass was drawn north over Ireland during the middle of August, bringing particularly high daytime and nighttime temperatures in eastern parts of the country.

Temperatures were above their long-term average at every station included in the August report.

The month’s highest temperature of 31.2C was recorded at Casement Aerodrome in Dublin on August 12.

It was the station’s highest August maximum in its 62-year record and the highest August temperature recorded across Dublin stations in a 127-year record.

Rainfall was also below average at the majority of stations during August, with parts of the country experiencing prolonged dry conditions.