Hot weather returns with temperatures to hit high 20s

Ireland is set to experience a significant return of hot weather this week, with forecasters predicting temperatures could soar to highs of 27-29 degrees Celsius in some areas. The warm and dry conditions are expected to begin on Tuesday and continue through Thursday, with the east and midlands seeing the warmest weather on Wednesday, and Leinster potentially reaching the peak temperature of 29C on Thursday.

The mercury will climb steadily, offering sunny spells on Thursday. However, this brief respite from cooler weather will be short-lived, as temperatures are forecast to drop back down to a more seasonal 17-22C by Friday. This shift signals the end of the current warm spell.

The hot weather arrives while mainland Europe is bracing for another heatwave, with parts of Britain and France under extreme heat warnings and new wildfires erupting in Greece and Spain. Countries like Switzerland, Austria, and Hungary are also anticipating unusually high temperatures. Meanwhile, a nationwide hosepipe ban has been in place in Ireland since July 24 and will continue until August 26. This measure was implemented due to prolonged hot, dry weather earlier in the summer that put drinking water supplies under pressure. The ban prohibits activities such as watering gardens and washing cars with hosepipes.