Rain may be in Spain but Ireland is set to bask in sunshine

Dolores and Michael Healy from Waterfall in Cork enjoying the fine weather at Garrettstown on Sunday. Met Éireann predicts the return to summer weather will continue for part of this week. Picture: David Creedon

Just two weeks after Storm Betty, and just days after schools reopened, summer has returned with one last blast of sunshine with temperatures set to hit 27C early this week.

With intense rain expected in parts of Spain, where red rainfall warning are in place around Madrid, La Mancha and Toledo, Ireland was basking in glorious early Autumn sunshine on Sunday, with highs of 23C recorded in the south.

Some 73,000 revellers were stranded at the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert where torrential rain turned the venue to mud, but there were no such weather-related problems for music fans at Electric Picnic in Stradbally, Laois, who spent the weekend soaking up the rays and trying to avoid sunburn.

People take what shelter they can in Pamplona as parts of Spain including Madrid, La Mancha, and Toledo have been dealing with exceptional rainfall. Picture: Alvaro Barrientos/AP

Thousands of people flocked to the coast and to beaches on Sunday as temperatures crept from the late teens into the early 20s, with Met Éireann’s observatory at Moore Park near Fermoy recording one of the highest temperatures of the day, tipping 23C between and 4pm and 5pm.

And the good news is the good weather should be with us until Friday at least as a large mass of warm and stable air has moved up from southern Europe and settled over Ireland.

Forecasters have suggested that temperatures will hover in the mid-20s, but maybe even hit 26C or 27C in places by Tuesday.

The HSE has warned, however, that the sun, even at this time of the year, can still pose a risk to skin, and it urged people to remain sun smart and take steps to reduce the risk of skin cancer.

“When the UV index is 3 or above you need to protect your skin,” a spokesperson said.

Floods washed out the Burning Man festival in Nevada but revellers at Electric Picnic in Stradbally, Co Laois, enjoyed the festival — including Tom Odell's set on Saturday — in beautiful sunshine. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

“In Ireland, the UV index is usually 3 or above from April to September, even when it is cloudy. Stay safe by limiting time in the sun when UV is strongest, typically between the hours of 11am to 3pm.” The UV index for the next two days is forecast to be between three and five.

Met Éireann said Monday will start misty with pockets of fog clearing slowly, leading to another warm, dry and mostly sunny day, aside from some lingering coastal fog.

Highest temperatures will range from 21 to 26 degrees, with the warmest weather in the south midlands.

The national outlook is for it to continue warm by day, very mild at night, with an increased chance of heavy or thundery showers from midweek.