Impacts of heat waves and cold waves in Ireland derived from documentary sources

Ireland has a rich heritage of historical documentary and instrumental meteorological observations. Analysing long-term series and documentary sources is crucial to examining modern climate warming within a historical context and to better assess impacts and vulnerability to extreme air temperature events.

The assessment of the frequency, intensity, duration, and geographical distribution of heat waves and cold waves was made on long-term instrumental data and based on diverse definitions. Additionally, documentary sources comprising meteorological registers and diaries, newspapers, monographs and other publications were assessed to examine the frequency, duration, intensity, geographical distribution, and environmental and socio-economic impacts of heat waves and cold waves back to AD. 582 up to the 21^st century in Ireland.

Environmental and socio-economic impacts during heat wave events include greater water consumption and water shortages, which are exacerbated when linked with drought events, greater energy demand, crop failures, heat stress in cattle, and a higher risk of forest fires.

Snowfall events during cold waves in Ireland have caused inaccessible traffic roads and railways, interruption of access to facilities, cattle mortality, human mortality, reduction of food supplies, isolation of villages, cancellation of flights, schools closing or interruption of electric power.

This comprehensive catalogue of heat waves and cold waves events based on the analysis of documentary sources is important for understanding the vulnerability and adaptation of societies to extreme air temperature events. The database will allow the creation of a chronology of events beyond the availability of instrumental maximum and minimum air temperature data (typically available from the mid-1800s), identify maximum extremes and rank the most severe and impactful events from the historical record, discerning patterns in individual impact categories and their temporal and spatial variability and assessment of the vulnerability of various locations across Ireland. The database will be an open-access tool available to stakeholders and policymakers in Ireland and essential to supporting climate action, adaptation, and mitigation policies to reduce vulnerability and increase resilience to future extreme air temperature events in the context of changing climate.