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Ireland’s extended heatwave shows no sign of stopping, as Met Éireann has forecasted temperatures of up to 30 degrees and no rain for the next ten days.
Today sees a Status Yellow high-temperature warning come into place from 2 pm until 7 pm in Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Offaly, Westmeath, Meath, Galway, Leitrim, Roscommon, Clare, Limerick and Tipperary, as temperatures will reach highs of 27 to 28 degrees in parts.
Tomorrow, Thursday, will see slightly more cloud and lower temperatures in the north and west, but Leinster and Munster will keep in the high twenties. High pressure will build again over the weekend with hot weather forecast across the country; Saturday and Sunday will see warm and sunny conditions. Into next week, Met Éireann has said: “A continuation of this rather exceptional spell of settled weather seems likely with high pressure continuing to dominate our weather pattern well into next week.”
The lack of rainfall over the past few weeks in Ireland has seen a Status Yellow drought warning come into effect, which is in place until Friday, although many think it may be extended further. Farmers especially have felt the brunt of the hot conditions, as grass growth rates have fallen to practically nothing in many parts of the country, meaning fodder supplies have been depleted. A drought helpline has been established by Teagasc for farmers to call with any concerns about their feeding stock as the weather continues to heat up.
Water supplies are also a cause for concern, as Irish Water has implemented a hosepipe ban until the end of the month across the Greater Dublin area. The ban covers watering gardens, washing cars or boats and filling personal pools from public water supplies.
As Ireland is not used to hot weather for such an extended period of time, it’s important to arm yourself with the facts (and the suncream). Check out our guide to everything you need to know about the heatwave here.