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IRELAND COULD SEE its highest temperature ever recorded on Thursday, as the ongoing spell of hot and humid weather is expected to peak across the country.
Met Éireann has forecast temperatures of 25 to 31 degrees tomorrow, with the possibility of higher figures in parts of the midlands and west.
“Today we’ll see plenty of sunshine after a cloudy start, but really it’s tomorrow when we’ll see the peak of the heat,” Met Éireann forecaster Ailís Hankinson told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.
A fair amount of cloud around to start today, with some sunny spells in the S & SE🌤️
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) June 24, 2026
It will brighten up through the day with sunny spells developing in most areas, but staying cloudier in parts of the W & NW with some drizzle possible.
Very warm & humid with highs of 23-28 C🌡️ pic.twitter.com/mS6PidZIdW
She said there was “the potential for records to be broken on Thursday”, with temperatures possibly reaching 33 degrees in Connacht and highs of 31 or 32 degrees more widely across the west and midlands.
“Usually in June, we’ll see the average temperatures are between 16 and 19 degrees, so these temperatures are quite warm,” Hankinson said.
33 degrees would put Ireland’s all-time record within reach. The highest temperature ever recorded in the country was 33.3 degrees at Kilkenny Castle on 26 June 1887 (temperatures got close in 2022, with a high of 33 degrees recorded in the Phoenix Park).
Today will also be very warm and humid, with temperatures of between 23 and 28 degrees expected after a cloudy and misty start.
Sunshine is expected to become more widespread through the day, although showers may develop in parts of the west and southwest.
Thursday is expected to bring good sunshine for most areas, though thunderstorms could develop later in the west and northwest. Met Éireann said those storms may affect how high temperatures rise locally.
A status yellow high temperature warning is in effect nationwide until Friday.
The hot spell is being driven by a plume of very warm air moving towards Ireland from Europe, where several countries are experiencing extreme heat.
France has recorded its highest national temperature indicator since records began in 1947, while red heat alerts have been issued in parts of Italy and other countries.
Recurring heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense as a result of global warming.
Ireland’s heat is expected to begin easing from Friday, though it will remain warm and humid, with temperatures reaching the low to mid-20s.
Cooler, more unsettled Atlantic weather is forecast to arrive over the weekend, with highs falling to between 16 and 20 degrees on Sunday.
Unsure of what exactly is happening with the earth’s climate? Check out our FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to finding good information online.
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