MET ÉIREANN HAS issued a high temperature advisory ahead of forecast highs of over 30 degrees in some parts of the country.

The national weather forecaster said Ireland will experience a hot spell on Sunday and early into next week. Day time temperatures will widely exceed the high 20s and some areas will top 30 degrees.

It will also be “uncomfortably warm overnight”, Met Éireann said.

The advisory comes amid similar warnings of soaring temperatures in England and Wales, where there are concerns the mercury could reach up to the high-30s.

A heatwave is also sweeping across Europe, with many countries already feeling the burn of record temperatures and extreme heat conditions.

Ahead of the spike in temperatures, the Irish Blue Cross is warning that heat stroke can be life threatening for dogs.

Some of the signs that a dog is suffering heat stroke include a temperature, restlessness, excessive panting, heavy/difficulty breathing, and drooling.

A change in gum colour from pink to dark red, pale, purple or blue is another indicator. They may also be drowsy or uncoordinated, and may collapse or vomit in severe cases.

The animal charity is advising people who think their pet has heat stroke to take the animal to a shaded cool area and give them small amounts of cool water to drink. People are also being told to contact a vet.

The UN’s IPCC has said that global warming has caused an increase in the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events.

The world has already warmed by about 1 degree Celsius since pre-industrial times due to human activity, and the IPCC has warned that global heating is virtually certain to pass 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, probably within a decade.

The impacts of climate change are already causing severe and widespread disruption around the world and the panel has said drastic action is needed to avoid mounting loss of life, biodiversity and infrastructure.

It is not only temperature that has changed: there have also been changes in rainfall, declines in snow and ice, and increases in sea-level as the oceans heat up.

Additional reporting from Céimin Burke