A High Temperature alert is about to come into force across the country with the sunny weather set to continue right through next week.
The rare advisory comes into force from midday today and will remain in place until Friday afternoon.
It comes after both Friday and Saturday saw the highest temperatures of the year recorded.
It was the warmest day of the year so far at our official stations, with Athenry recording a max temp of 29.5°C! 😎
Northern Ireland saw its hottest day on record😲 with the Met Office reporting a max temp of 31.2°C at Ballywatticock in County Down📈🌡️ pic.twitter.com/lico6WHOR0
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) July 17, 2021
The weather station at Athenry in County Galway yesterday recorded a highest temperature of 29.5C, with Mount Dillon in Roscommon, Grange, Dunsany in County Meath and Gurteen in County Tipperary all recording highs above 29C.
The highest temperature recorded on Friday was the 27.5C recorded at Mount Dillon.
This morning, temperatures as high as 24C have already been recorded in County Carlow with the heat set to rise as the day continues.
Met Éireann said UV levels will be high to very high throughout the day and is encouraging people to be sun smart and protect themselves from direct sunlight.
The forecaster said temperatures could reach 29C again – although it will be cooler along the coast due to sea breezes.
☀️Solar UV index for Sunday☀️
With UV levels high to very high under clear skies today, please follow @HseNCCP advice and stay #SunSmart ⛱️🧴
More on the UV index here⬇️https://t.co/sbFTHg1P07 pic.twitter.com/1C0NiPy5Sv
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) July 18, 2021
Alan O’Reilly said there’s no end in sight to the warm weather.
“It will get up to 26C or 27C again today, possibly getting up as high as 28C,” he said.
“A little bit more cloud in the afternoon and a small chance of a shower developing in southern areas.
“Generally, a lovely warm day ahead. It does look as if it is going to stay warm and fine now for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and up until Thursday with more warm days ahead.”
He said the sunny weather is due to an Azores High over the country.
“An area of high pressure sitting over Ireland, which is giving us this fine settled weather with sunshine really increasing day on day bringing the temperatures right up.
“There is some warmer air coming up from the south as well so we have warm air and high pressure and that combination at this time of year can give us these very high temperatures we are seeing.
“It is a great spell of dry settled weather when you get the high pressure coming up over us like that.”
☀️Solar UV index for Sunday☀️
With UV levels high to very high under clear skies today, please follow @HseNCCP advice and stay #SunSmart ⛱️🧴
More on the UV index here⬇️https://t.co/sbFTHg1P07 pic.twitter.com/1C0NiPy5Sv
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) July 18, 2021
Met Éireann said temperatures will remain in the high twenties right through the week with “very humid at night with temperatures staying in the mid to high teens”.
Meanwhile, Water Safety Ireland is encouraging people put safety first while enjoying water sports in the sun.
Main image shows four-year-olds Issey O'Reilly and Emile Gill-Cullen enjoying their ice cream cones, 24-04-2021. Image: Leah Farrell/RollingNews
