The weather in Ireland is ‘just below the heatwave threshold”, Met Éireann has said, as it predicts sustained temperature highs of 25 degrees and above until Sunday.
The national forecaster defines a heatwave as five or more consecutive days with temperatures above 25 degrees, although it says there is no single definition of a heatwave.
Met Éireann forecaster Aoife Kealy said there is further “nuance” to this definition, as the 25 degree recording must occur five days in a row at the same weather station. The days ahead could see consistently high temperatures, but these highs could be recorded at different stations, she said.
“That is keeping it just below the heatwave threshold,” she said. The overnight temperatures, which are not predicted to fall below 13 degrees in the coming days, are “significant” in driving up the mean temperatures, Ms Kealy said.
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The country is “nowhere near record-breaking temperatures”, she said, but it is “significantly warmer than normal”.
Met Éireann predicts highs of 27 degrees on Wednesday, alongside a status yellow weather warning for thunderstorms in counties Clare, Kerry and Limerick.
The warning covers localised flooding, lightning and difficult travelling conditions and is valid from 3pm to 9pm.
The forecaster said Wednesday would generally be warm and humid with good sunny spells. However, showers are expected to move in from the southwest through the afternoon and evening, and some of these could be heavy with a chance of thunder and lightning.
Temperatures are not expected to fall below 14 degrees overnight. Thursday should be cloudy at first but with long spells of sunshine breaking through in the afternoon and evening as showers ease. Highest temperatures will reach 21 to 25 degrees in light to moderate southwest breezes.
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Friday will see further sunny spells with light showers easing through the day to leave longer periods of sunshine later on.
Highest temperatures are expected to be in the range of 19 to 26 degrees with light easterly or variable breezes.
The outlook for the weekend is for continued warm and dry conditions with temperatures on Saturday predicted to reach between 20 and 26 degrees, while Sunday could see highs of between 19 and 26 degrees.
Met Éireann said Monday will bring sunny spells and some thundery showers, with temperatures in the low to mid 20s.
