UNSEASONABLY WARM WEATHER is sweeping across Ireland, with long hours of sunshine and above-average temperatures continuing into next week.

Last month’s record high of 25.8°C in Athenry, Co Galway marked one of the warmest Aprils on record, and forecasters say the settled conditions are likely to stay for a little longer.

According to met Éireann, today will be dry with plenty of sunshine and just light easterly or variable breezes.

Highest temperatures of 17 to 26 degrees are forecast, warmest across the midlands, west and southwest.

To top off the weekend, Sunday will be another dry day, with lots of sunshine and more high temperatures of 20 to 24 degrees.

For now, the start of next week is looking like it will remain mostly dry, with long sunny spells but the chance of some showers pushing through on Monday.

Current indications from Met Eireann suggest that it will continue to be settled, warm and sunny for the early days of next week too, with temperatures in the high teens or low twenties.

Tuesday through Thursday will bring mostly dry conditions, with plenty of sunshine. While the odd shower can’t be ruled out, temperatures are expected to range from the mid-teens to the low twenties.

Later in the week however, Met Éireann warn that Atlantic westerlies look set to eventually return, bringing a greater chance of spells of rain or showers.

Last month ranked among the hottest Aprils on record globally, raising fresh concerns over the ongoing effects of climate change.

The global average surface air temperature reached 14.96°C – just shy of the record set in April 2024.

In Europe, the average temperature stood at 9.38°C, which is 1.01°C above the April norm for 1991-2020, making it the continent’s sixth-warmest April on record.