Temperatures set to peak at 25C in coming days

THERE is to be a respite, albeit temporary, from the wet and cold weather experienced by much of the country recently with temperatures likely to peak at 25C in the coming days.

Forecasters predict temperatures will soar by as much as 12C over the weekend, to highs of 22C on Sunday and could reach 25C by the middle of next week.

Met Éireann forecaster Harm Luijkx has warned that while temperatures will rise dramatically, the weather will remain unsettled.

“We will see a sunny weekend with the hottest temperatures in the midlands and eastern regions, but the weather will be unsettled with a few light outbreaks of rain,” said Mr Luijkx.

So far, this month was one of the coolest and wettest July’s on record. And forecasters are warning that there will be no sustained period of sunshine for the remainder of July.

Today is expected to be generally dry and bright in most places with sunny spells and light winds.

However, it will be cloudy across much of Munster for a time with the risk of a shower but this will clear in the evening.

Sunday will see one of the hottest days all summer with temperatures reaching 22C, the highest recorded since April.

The thousands of GAA fans who will flock to Croke Park on Sunday for Cork’s clash with Down and Dublin’s clash with Limerick may well be able to whip out the sunglasses — for a short time at least.

We may, however, be brought back down to earth as soon as Monday, with a dip in temperatures and outbreaks of rain. The rain is expected to clear late in the day or Monday night.

Mr Luijkx said the rise in temperatures will remain for the first part of next week but Thursday will see a change.

“It looks set to get slightly cooler after Thursday there will be a mix of sunshine, clouds and unsettled showers.

“Weather for the rest of the month will remain changeable.”