Met Éireann has this afternoon issued a Status Yellow thunderstorm and rain warning for Ireland, as the hot weather is set to remain into the weekend.
The warning, which lasts until 8pm, advises that thunderstorms will affect a number of areas this afternoon and evening.
Lightning, hail and heavy downpours will result in localised flooding and hazardous driving conditions, Met Éireann said.
The counties most at risk are Wicklow, Kildare, Laois, Offaly, Tipperary, Clare, Galway, Mayo and Roscommon.
Alongside the thunderstorm risk, heatwave conditions are persisting with Met Éireann forecasting that temperatures will reach into the high 20s and possibly above 30C today.
A Status Yellow hot temperature warning is in place for the country until at least 9am tomorrow.
Met Éireann communications meteorologist Bonnie Diamond said that the warm weather conditions will continue over the weekend, with temperatures expected to be in the low to mid 20s and some good sunny spells.
The seven-day duration of the current heatwave is “quite exceptional”, she said, where temperatures have been in the high 20s and 30s day after day.
A tropical night temperature of 20.5C overnight was recorded in Valentia in Co Kerry, and the top temperature recorded was 31C at Mount Dillon in Roscommon.
