Warm weather to continue into next week as 22.5C recorded at Shannon Airport on Friday

Sunday should see cooler weather but it should remain dry and up until Wednesday. File picture: Andrew Matthews/PA 

Sunny spells and warm, dry weather is set to continue into next week as Met Éireann predicts highs of "21C or 22C" over the coming days. 

The national forecaster has said current indications suggest that "high pressure will continue to dominate our weather for the latter half of next week." 

It's expected to stay dry with spells of sunshine and "temperatures reaching the high teens or low 20s."

Thursday was provisionally named the hottest day of the year so far, with a temperature of 21.7C recorded in Co Cork. 

Friday saw a high of 22.5C recorded at Shannon Airport, with 21.9C at Valentia in Kerry. 

According to the forecaster, Saturday will remain dry for most of the day with the best of sunny spells expected in the east and south. 

Met Éireann have said a "few isolated light showery outbreaks will develop in Connacht and Ulster during the morning, spreading southeastwards as the day goes on."

"Highest temperatures of 17C to 21C generally, holding a little cooler though in the northwest in light northerly or variable breezes," it said. 

However, temperatures are expected to drop as low as 4C for the northern half of the country, while a few isolated patches of light rain and drizzle will develop in Munster and South Leinster. 

"Milder and somewhat cloudier further south with lows of 8C to 12C  in light northerly winds," the national forecaster said. 

Sunday should see cooler weather but it should stay dry with spells of sunshine through the day. 

Met Éireann said: "However, it will be a cloudier morning over the southern half of the country with the chance of an isolated shower or two in Munster, though becoming sunny there also in the afternoon. Highest temperatures generally of 14 to 18 degrees, but a degree or two cooler in north Ulster, in light to moderate northeasterly breezes."

Sunday night will be dry with largely clear skies. Lowest temperatures of 5C to 9C in light northeasterly winds.

Going into next week, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday will be dry and largely sunny days. 

High temperatures of 17C to 21C or 22C is expected, although a light to moderate easterly breeze will keep things slightly cooler on the eastern coasts with highs of 14C to 17C. 

The nights will stay dry and clear, with overnight temperatures expecting to drop to 7C to 12C.