LAST UPDATE | 8 Jul

TEMPERATURES ARE TO continue to rise this weekend, with Friday and Saturday set to get the most heat.

Met Éireann forecasts high 20s in most parts of the country, with some places to hit 30 degrees.

Nights will be humid, with temperatures likely to remain above 15 degrees.

It’s been a scorcher for most of Ireland so far today – the midlands, south and east are currently reaching temperatures of 23 to 28 degrees, and elsewhere is ranging from 17 to 24 degrees.

The warm weather is caused by a ridge of high pressure over Ireland that came from an anticyclone over the Azores.

It is bringing dry, settled and sunny conditions to much of the country. However, conditions will stay cloudier in the north and west at first due to a slow-moving frontal zone lingering over the northwest.

From Friday, high pressure is expected to shift to the north of Ireland, with support from the upper air pattern. Met Éireann said this will allow temperatures to increase, and the sunshine to become more widespread.

“Peak maxima” will occur in the west on Sunday, after a “tropical” Saturday night in places.

The surge of heat has also spread across western Europe, with Spain, Portugal and France already sweltering

Temperatures are once again forecast to climb from 10 to 15 degrees above average in many European countries, with highs approaching 40 degrees in the hottest parts of France and Spain, while the UK is expected to reach the low- to mid-30s.

Shortage in water supplies

Uisce Eireann has asked households and businesses to save water as temperatures remain high.

In Dublin, water is being used faster than it can be replaced. ” Usage in the region has reached up to 680 million litres — about 40 million litres above the year-to-date average”, according to Uisce Eireann.

Tourist areas in counties like Wexford have also been affected with a high number of visitors. This has put pressure on the network and increased the risk of bursts.

Nighttime restrictions were implemented on 13 water supplies across the country. Areas affected by these measures include Kilkenny, Tipperary, Donegal, Cork and Meath.

Uisce Eireann also reminded the public that reservoir swimming should be avoided due to ”hazards that present serious risks” such as hidden currents and drops in depth.

Tips for saving water during the warm period included choosing showers over baths, running full washing loads and avoiding hose use.

“We know overnight restrictions can be inconvenient, especially for households and businesses trying to plan their day-to-day routines. These restrictions are only used where needed to protect local supplies and reduce the risk of more serious disruption later on’’ Margaret Attridge, Head of Water Operations said.