Ireland's set to reach official 'heatwave' status tomorrow, with the hot weather expected to continue right through the week.
There have now been four days in a row of temperatures in the mid to high 20s right across the country.
Met Éireann has advised that the very warm weather will continue until Friday, with hot days and humid nights.
⚠️High Temperature Advisory for Ireland 🌡️📈⚠️
All active warnings see here ➡️https://t.co/l8JdKfwZt9 pic.twitter.com/kuVPw1p3pf— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) July 17, 2021
Some inland parts of the countries are expected to see temperatures of up to 29 degrees today, tomorrow and Wednesday, with cooler coastal areas also seeing very hot weather.
Alan O'Reilly of Carlow Weather told The Pat Kenny Show it is indeed some very warm weather - although not quite at record levels.
He explained: "We’re going to reach heatwave status tomorrow, which is five days above 25 degrees in Ireland. It’s very similar to back in 2018… it’s very warm, but nothing we haven’t seen before.
“I don’t think we’re going to get to record levels, but it is likely we will exceed 30 degrees over the coming days at some stage… as it continues to stay very hot right through to the end of the week.
“The all-time record for Ireland is quite an old record - it’s 33.3 degrees at Kilkenny Castle, and it dates back to 1887.
"We do have some more recent records - in 2006, we have the all-time July record, which was 32.3 degrees in Roscommon. We have seen above 32 degrees in the last 20 years… it does happen, but not too often."
While it's still early in the week and the forecast could change, Alan says it does look like the good weather could last into next weekend.
He said people near the coast will enjoy a bit of a breeze, but like everywhere else they will also be experiencing some very hot and humid night temperatures.
'UV levels are very high'
Forecasters and health experts alike have been keen to stress the importance of being 'sun smart' in these weather conditions - including the need to wear sunscreen, stay hydrated and avoid the midday sun.
It's also important to watch out for pets, who might also be struggling in the unusually hot weather.
Alan said: “Shade is something that’s very important for pets… it’s clear blue skies, which makes it very hard to escape from the sun. Making sure water and shade is available really is the important thing.
“UV levels are also very high this time of the year, especially the middle of the day. But often the highest temperatures are actually around 4pm… if you are trying to avoid [the sun], maybe leave it until a bit later in the evening to go out.”
People are also being asked to conserve water wherever possible as the hot weather continues.
