Celtic Sea heat off Ireland would have been a one-in-100-year event without climate change

Ireland’s waters are getting dangerously warm

Researchers from the World Weather Attribution (WWA), including a co-author from Maynooth University, concluded that climate change was the main factor behind the unusually warm seas recorded across Europe this summer.

The study found that human-caused warming has pushed temperatures in western European seas up by around 1.4°C, while the Mediterranean has experienced an increase of roughly 2°C. The Mediterranean reached an average temperature of 27°C in July, making it the hottest July ever recorded there.

What the Celtic Sea findings mean for Irish coastal communities

"This has the potential to completely reshape ecosystems that coastal communities rely on for food and income, and drive damaging extreme weather on land too."

- Claire Bergin, Maynooth University, co-author of the study

The effects of warmer seas extend well beyond higher water temperatures as they can increase humidity and overnight temperatures in coastal areas, while also providing more energy for intense storms to develop later in the year.

Marine ecosystems are also vulnerable to these sudden temperature increases, which can cause widespread coral deaths and disrupt the food supplies that birds and mammals depend on.

John Bruno, a marine ecologist at the University of North Carolina, stated some species are moving north in search of cooler waters, although not all will be able to adapt to the changing conditions.

The WWA analysis also found that the extreme temperatures recorded in the Mediterranean and around the Bay of Biscay would have been “virtually impossible” without climate change.

For Ireland, the consequences could therefore continue into the autumn. Warmer surrounding seas can contribute to higher humidity and warmer nights along the coast, while also increasing the potential for more intense storms later in the year.