Scorchio! Temperatures to hit 26 degrees for exam Wednesday

The purported phenomenon known as “exam weather” is on its way for the start of the Junior and Leaving Certificate examinations.

Glorious sunshine and temperatures as high as 26 degrees will mark the start of the exams on Wednesday for tens of thousands of students.

The warm weather is set to continue into next weekend though early indications suggest a change to more mixed conditions next week.

Tuesday will be another warm day across the country with the midlands expecting temperatures of 25 degrees.

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It will get even warmer on Wednesday. The highest temperatures will be in the south and west of the country. Cork is expected to see highs of 26 degrees at lunchtime on Wednesday and temperatures in Galway will reach 25 degrees.

It will be cooler along the east coast where stiff onshore breezes will keep temperatures in the high teens to the low twenties.

Exam weather is the misfortune that befalls students stuck indoors either studying for or doing exams while everybody else is out enjoying the sun.

It is, however, a "myth", says Met Éireann forecaster Harm Luijkx and a little like the sunny summers we remembered as children, but did not actually happen.

“It is a kind of a story that grew up by itself. It is in the shared memory of people, but last year it wasn’t the case. There is no indicator to say that the weather is any different at this time of year,” he explained.

Thursday will be a dry and sunny day across most of the country with the highest temperatures again in the south and east. Parts of Mayo and Galway can expect temperatures of 23 degrees.

It will be slightly cooler on Friday and Saturday, but temperatures will still be above 20 degrees in most places with heavy showers expected on Saturday afternoon in the south and east.

Mr Luijkx said it will not be as warm next week, but it will still be fine weather. "There will be a few heavy showers now and again, but it will be mostly dry," he says.