The ongoing heatwave is set to break records this week – but Met Éireann has said the country’s hottest day in history is unlikely to be challenged.
Ireland’s hottest ever temperature was recorded at 33.3C in Kilkenny Castle on June 26th 1887.
Met Éireann forecaster Joanna Donnelly said the highest temperature recorded today was close to 31C.
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) June 27, 2018
She said the heatwave is unlikely to reach the "dubious" heights of 1887.
“We are certainly coming up hot on the heels of the next closest temperatures and that was 31.6 for June in Shannon in 1976,” she said.
“In 2006, I think Elfin holds the record for the highest July temperature.
“So we will be hot on the heels of records around the country, but I am not sure that it is ever going to be likely to beat the dubious record of 33.3 in Kilkenny in 1887.”
Water
Meanwhile, People are being urged to conserve water supplies, as the heatwave continues.
Irish Water says demand for water in the greater Dublin area remains critically high.
Supplies in parts of the country including Athlone, Kilkenny and Longford have already seen outages, while parts of Donegal, Galway, Limerick and Mullingar are at risk of losing supply.
Hospitals
People are also being urged to keep hydrated.
Professor Sean Kennelly, Consultant Physician in Geriatric Medicine at Tallaght University Hospital, says they're seeing more people with weather related issues.
“Probably the main issue we are seeing at the moment in the hospital are people presenting with chest problems – with the dust and the pollen,” he said.
“To a certain extent it is almost as bad as it would be in the middle of winter when people are getting their colds and flu.
“The other big issue that arises in heat and in particular in older people is an increased risk for stroke and heart attacks as a result of dehydration.”
Weather warnings
Met Éireann’s Status Yellow High temperature warning is set to remain in place until 8pm on Friday.
Meanwhile the Department of Agriculture’s Red Warning for forest fires is also set to remain until Friday afternoon.
Earlier today, the Dublin Fire Brigade was called to a gorse fire in the Dublin Mountains.
The Military Road was closed to traffic with heavy smoke making it hard to see in the Glendoo Mountain area.
At the height of the blaze three fire engines and a foam tender were on scene.
Firefighters have appealed to the public to avoid roads near these wildfires as wind changes can be dangerous.
The fire off Old Military Rd has been dealt with, at it's height 3 fire engines and a foam tender were on scene. We appealing to people to avoid roads near these wildfires, wind changes can cause problems #Heatwave #HeatwaveIreland stock📸 #Dublin #fire pic.twitter.com/NTJLiMqKBY
— Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) June 27, 2018
