Ireland could be in for the hottest day of the year so far this weekend as tropical air wafts our way.
Met Eireann has predicted temperatures could reach 20C in parts on Saturday which would match this year’s record which was set on May 8.
It comes as some parts of Europe are braced for what's being called a “remarkable heat episode” with the mercury soaring across the continent.
READ MORE: Met Eireann Storm Eunice weather complaints with claims of 'Dublin bias' and forecast 'panic'
The big weather change is expected to happen for Ireland this weekend. After a week of dull conditions and rain, it’s set to become warmer and drier from Saturday.
In its forecast for Saturday, Met Eireann said: “A warm and mainly dry day with long spells of sunshine and just a few light showers. Highest temperatures of 16C to 20C in near calm conditions.”
Looking ahead to Sunday and early next week, it continued: “A warm and dry day on Sunday before it turns more unsettled again for the early days of next week.”
Meanwhile, several countries around Europe are bracing for scorching conditions next week.
Some weather experts have predicted temperatures could reach as high as 30C in parts of central France.
Patrick Galois, a forecaster at Meteo France, said the high temperatures can be seen as a "remarkable heat episode".
He told The Express: "An initial burst of warm air is expected on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The mercury is expected to reach 28C in Paris, eight degrees above seasonal norms, with peaks of 30C in the south and even in the centre of the country.
"On Thursday and Friday, the air will be a little less warm, with a small influx of maritime air linked to a westerly wind, which will lower temperatures north of the Loire.
"This small deterioration will be short-lived, as anticyclonic conditions will return over the whole of France next weekend."
However, he said it is unlikely to be defined as a heatwave.
"We talk about 'heat wave' during episodes that are accompanied by a heatwave during the summer period, from June. In these cases, temperatures can approach 20C at night, which is not the case in May.
"Therefore, no health consequences are to be feared. Rather, we can talk about a remarkable heat episode for the season, which can be quite long-lasting. But we do not yet have all the elements to know if these temperatures will continue the following week."
It is not known yet whether Europe ‘remarkable heat episode’ will reach Ireland, however Met Eireann has predicted “higher than normal” temperatures next week.
In its monthly forecast, Met Eireann said of this week: “Low pressure systems to the west of the country will keep the weather fairly unsettled for the week, with the west and northwest experiencing higher than average amounts of rainfall, close to normal amounts expected elsewhere.
“As that low pressure system brings warmer tropical air over the country temperatures will be slightly above normal for early May over all areas.”
Looking ahead to next week, it continued: “As we look into week two, high pressure looks set to dominate with more settled conditions expected. This will cause rainfall amounts to be below average, and temperatures will be higher than normal for mid-May, winds will be light to moderate with variable cloud cover.”
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter.
