Monday the hottest day of the year so far with warm spell to continue this week

A high of 25.7 degrees was recorded at Shannon Airport

Dancers on Sutton Beach in Dublin celebrate the warmest day of the year to date with highs of 25.7 degrees in Shannon.
Dancers on Sutton Beach in Dublin celebrate the warmest day of the year to date with highs of 25.7 degrees in Shannon.

The hottest day of the year has been recorded, with many places reaching over 25 degrees.

A value of 25.7 degrees was recorded at Shannon Airport on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon with a 25.5 degrees at Mount Dillon in Co Roscommon.

The hottest weather was experienced in the west of Ireland with easterly breezes keeping temperatures slightly cooler on the east coast. Phoenix Park recorded a relatively mild 19.4 degrees.

The forecast is for the hot weather to continue until Friday. Tuesday and Wednesday will be warm and sunny everywhere with once again the west expected to experience the highest temperatures. Thursday see more of the same, though there is chance of patchy cloud in the south-east.

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There is a possibility of a few showers across the country on Friday and Saturday as the remnants of Storm Oscar, which is expected to batter the Canary Islands, plays itself out, but the forecast is uncertain.

Large crowds flocked to beaches across the country over the weekend.
Large crowds flocked to beaches across the country over the weekend.
It will remain warm on Saturday and “into next week,” according to Met Éireann forecaster Linda Hughes. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Wireire
It will remain warm on Saturday and “into next week,” according to Met Éireann forecaster Linda Hughes. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Wireire
Many places are already in drought across the country, especially in the east where most weather stations have seen no rain for at least the past 14 days. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Wireire
Many places are already in drought across the country, especially in the east where most weather stations have seen no rain for at least the past 14 days. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Wireire

It will remain warm on Saturday and “into next week,” according to Met Éireann forecaster Linda Hughes. “It is not going to be a change to cooler weather, but it won’t be as dry. When there is sunshine, it will still feel pleasant.”

While the hot weather is good for holidaymakers and ice cream sellers, it is not such good news for farmers or gardeners.

Many places are already in drought across the country, especially in the east where most weather stations have seen no rain for at least the past 14 days, including all Dublin stations and those in the southeast. Other places further west have only had trace amounts of rainfall in recent days.

Valentia Island in Co Kerry, which is traditionally one of the wettest places in the country, is in drought at present.

No weather station in Ireland has recorded a single millimetre of rain this month and last month was drier than normal everywhere.

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy is a news reporter with The Irish Times