TEMPERATURES COULD REACH up to 29 degrees in nine counties today, as a high temperature warning remains in place.

The warning will expire at 8pm this evening, with counties affected including Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wexford, Cork, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford.

Successive warnings by Met Éireann over the last two weeks have advised people to keep cool to avoid heatstroke, as temperatures surpassed 30 degrees in some areas.

The extreme heat appears to be coming to an end, with slightly cooler days and nights forecast for the weekend.

Met Éireann said the unusually long warm, dry spell this week was caused by an area of high pressure near the Faroe Islands.

“The easterly airflow generated by this anticyclone is bringing a very warm, humid air mass to Ireland from continental Europe,” it said on Monday.

Tonight will be dry and mostly clear, with just light to moderate northerly breezes. It’s expected to be a little fresher than recent nights, with lowest temperatures of 9 to 14 degrees.

Saturday is staying dry and warm, with temperatures reaching 23 to 27 degrees across the Midlands, south and east. There’ll be long spells of sunshine.

The north and northwest will be a bit cooler, reaching only 22 degrees at most.

Sunday will be another dry day with hazy sunshine and light northerly breezes, says Met Éireann.

It will be warmest over Leinster and Munster, where top temperatures are expected to be 21 to 25 degrees.

Ulster and Connacht will be cloudier and cooler, especially near the coast.

Monday to Wednesday are to be dry with moderate northwest breezes.

Connacht and Ulster will be damp at times, with highs of 16 to 22 degrees, again warmest away from the coast.

Munster and Leinster will be warmer, with temperatures of up to 25 degrees forecast amid a mix of sunshine and cloud.