Temperatures expected to hit 29C on Friday before weekend thunderstorms arrive

Pack the sunglasses for Friday. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

It is almost certain that Friday will be the warmest day of the year so far in Ireland, with temperatures set to reach a high of 29C in some areas.

However, that could mark the peak of the current spell, as the national forecaster Met Éireann has warned that an "unsettled" period is on the way.