Met Éireann has issued a weather warning for high temperatures across the country for the rest of the week.
The status yellow warning was issued at 6am on Monday and is in place until 9pm on Friday. The forecaster said temperatures are expected to rise to 30 degrees later this week.
The highest temperature of the year so far (26.5 degrees) was recorded at Oak Park in Co Carlow on Sunday. In Dublin, 25.7 degrees was recorded at Casement Aerodrome.
Met Éireann forecaster Harm Luijkx said it is unusual for the forecaster to issue a weather warning for high temperatures.
"The last time we issued a weather warning for high temperatures would have been a few years ago, it is unusual," he told The Irish Times. "You probably have to go back to 1995 or 1976 for a comparable event."
Tuesday will be another warm day with long spells of hazy sunshine. Highest temperatures will be between 24 and 26 degrees but will be a little fresher and cooler in coastal areas, due to onshore breezes.
Met Éireann said high temperatures will persist throughout the coming week with mostly sunny conditions between Wednesday and Friday. The forecaster said the sunshine is likely to be hazy in nature at times, due to some high clouds.
Daytime temperatures are expected to be in the mid to high twenties and possibly a little higher locally on some days. The nights will be humid too, with lowest temperatures in the mid-teens.
“We’re expecting temperatures to reach 30 degrees, it may reach 31 degrees,” Mr Luijkx added. “We’re not sure but it is possible.”
There is expected to be little change in conditions in most places next weekend, remaining dry, warm and fairly sunny.
Temperatures may fall back to the high teens or low twenties by day in some northern areas, where northerly breezes may freshen.
Water restrictions
Irish Water has urged the public to conserve water and indicated it may have to implement nighttime water restrictions due to the warm weather conditions.
The utility said current storage in the raw water reservoirs in the greater Dublin area, at Roundwood (Vartry) and Pollaphuca (Liffey) are reasonable.
“The main pressure is on treated water capacity which along with our treated water storage can meet the normal daily range of demands at present,” it said.
“However, in the recent dry spells, we have seen a significant increase of the order of 20-30 million litres per day which reaches and occasionally exceeds our maximum production capacity.
“This is not sustainable on a long term (more than a few weeks) basis without some management action.”
Dr Maitiú Ó Tuathail, president of the National Association of GPs, has warned the public to keep hydrated, avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages and wear lots of sun screens.
“Irish bodies are not used to the heat so they have to work harder to cool down,” he told RTÉ Radio 1. Dr Ó Tuathail advised parents to use at least a factor 50 sun screen on children, which should be applied 30 minutes before exposure to the sun and to reapply every two hours.
The ISPCA has also reminded pet owners not to leave animals in the car during the warm weather.
“Leaving dogs in the car in hot weather can be fatal in minutes, even with the windows down,” it said. “Please remember to give your pet fresh water and access to shade.”
The highest temperature recorded on Monday was 27 and a half degrees, at Oak Park weather station in Co Carlow, followed by 26.7 degrees at Shannon Airport, and just under 25 degrees in the Phoenix Park.
Dublin Fire Brigade have warned that mirrors, crystal and glass can cause fires if left in direct sunlight in the current hot weather, from the sun reflecting onto flammable surfaces.
Aerosol cans
Other household objects such as aerosol cans can explode if left in direct sunlight, a spokesman for the fire service warned.
The fire service are advising the public to “keep such items in the shade and to be aware that sunshine moves during the day,” the spokesman said.
The Department of Agriculture has issued a status orange warning for forest fires, due to the dry conditions and high temperatures.
Currently the fire warning is due to remain in place until 12pm on Thursday.
Coillte, the State-owned commercial forestry agency, has said forest fires will be “very likely” over the course of the week.
Dublin Fire Brigade have been battling a forest fire at Barnaslingan Wood, south Co Dublin, for the past nine days. A spokesman for Coillte said emergency teams were “working around the clock to keep the fire contained, but rain is needed to dampen the fire and cool off the embers in the ground”.
Homeless charity Inner City Helping Homeless gave out nearly 1,000 bottles of water on Monday to rough sleepers in Dublin. The charity has appealed for donations of water bottles and sun cream, to distribute to the homeless, at risk of dehydration and sunburn.
Alone, a charity that supports the elderly, asked the public to call in and check on their older neighbours during the heatwave.
“Older people, and their families and neighbours, should be conscious that they are more at risk of dehydration,” Seán Moynihan, chief executive of Alone said.
