LATEST WEATHER - Met Eireann extends weather warning for weekend

Met Éireann has extended its Status Yellow weather warning for high temperatures as Ireland's heatwave is set to continue into the weekend.

Maximum temperatures of 28 to 30 degrees Celsius were recorded widely on Friday. The national forecaster has extended its Status Yellow High Temperature warning for the entire country from a deadline of 9pm on Friday night to 10pm on Saturday night.

Temperatures in excess of 27 degrees Celsius are expected on Saturday mainly in Connacht, Munster and parts south Leinster.

People are being warned that UV and pollen values will also be high so skin protection and hydration are vitally important. The weather is likely to last longer than this week with Met Éireann saying there is "no end in sight" to the warm spell.

Met Eireann Forecaster  Joanna Donnelly said yesterday that the weather is not expected to break at the weekend. 

Very warm and sunny for the rest of the afternoon and evening with highs of 23 to 30 degrees, warmest across Connacht and the midwest. Coastal areas will be cooler with sea-breezes and there will be patchy fog near the north Ulster coast.

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) June 29, 2018

TODAY in Leinster- FRIDAY 29TH JUNE
Hot and sunny today with moderate easterly breezes becoming light variable overnight. Highest temperatures of 26 to 30 degrees inland, cooler along coasts in sea breezes.

TONIGHT - FRIDAY 29TH JUNE
Tonight will be dry and clear with lowest temperatures of 13 to 16 degrees in light variable breezes.

TOMORROW - SATURDAY 30TH JUNE
Tomorrow will be dry with hazy sunshine. Winds will be light to moderate east to southeast. Highest temperatures of 23 to 27 degrees, again cooler along coasts.

NATIONAL OUTLOOK
Saturday night will be dry with just high cloud and light winds. Temperatures are expected to bottom out at 13 to 15 degrees.

It will be mostly dry with sunny spells or hazy sunshine on Sunday but showers are likely to affect western and southern areas, and later there's a signal for heavy showers to come up from the south to affect Munster.

Winds will be light to moderate easterly generally and although temperatures will still be high, they will be starting to decline somewhat.

Highest afternoon temperatures are expected to be between 22 and 26 degrees in the east and south, and up to 28 degrees inland elsewhere.

Sunday night will be dry with clear spells as showers become isolated early in the night. Lowest temperatures of 16 or 17 degrees.

Currently uncertainty lingers over Monday and while there's a signal for isolated showers and some cloudy periods, overall it will be warm with hazy sunshine once again. Winds remain light to moderate easterly and temperatures will be up to 26 degrees, this time warmest in the northeast. 

The further outlook for the early days of next week is for continuing warm weather with hazy sunshine, but not as hot as this week with temperatures more likely to be in the low to mid twenties. As the high pressure system drifts northeastwards there's an increasing chance of showers.