Heatwave alert! Ireland will be as hot as Barcelona this weekend

Great news if you’re traveling to Ireland this weekend: despite what you’ve always been told about the Irish summer, it’s going to be warm for once. And not just warm, but a lovely hot summer day, reaching temperatures to rival Barcelona, Spain.

Yes, after a relatively kind July, which experienced its own little heatwave, the sun will once again shine down on Ireland this Saturday, and Dublin will feel more like one of its continental counterparts with temperatures climbing to 80℉ (27℃).

The midlands and east coast will feel most of the heat as strong breezes from the Atlantic will cool things down slightly in the west.

“Currently the temperature [estimates] are going up to 26℃, 27℃ and the forecasts have been fairly consistent with that," said Jean Byrne of Met Éireann, the Irish Meteorological Service.

“It’ll be quite breezy as well with a moderate southwesterly, a bit fresher with the winds a bit stronger along Atlantic coasts and duller there with temperatures 18℃, 19℃, maybe 20℃.

“The highest temperatures will be anywhere away from southern and western coasts but particularly across the Midlands and the East.”

When the irish #heatwave is too much for you there's always one aid. pic.twitter.com/qRFhPpIqgU

— Queen of Scauld (@NiamhTraynor) July 19, 2016

Stood outside on this hotter than hell summers day. Us pasty-white #Irish folk aren't designed for this! #heatwave pic.twitter.com/TKNGObiyWn
— Adrian Carey (@lindsaysbro) July 19, 2016

In typical Irish fashion, however, the clouds and rain won’t stay away for long and our luck could run dry by as early as Saturday evening.

“We’ve got windy weather with cloud and rain coming in along Atlantic coasts later on Saturday," Byrne continued.

“Sunday looks like being mostly dry practically everywhere but definitely not as warm with temperatures back down again to 17℃ to 20℃ with the East and South faring best.”

In the meantime, Ireland can look forward to yet more showers of rain before the warm spell kicks in, set to hit sometime on Friday.

Byrne told the Irish Mirror: “Friday looks better because it looks like being dry nearly everywhere with cloudy intervals as well, not blazing sunshine.

“There’ll be a few scattered showers on Friday but in-between those some places could escape and there will be good dry spells with sunny intervals.

“Temperatures will be no better than Thursday and around 16C to 19C, maybe 20C in some eastern and southern counties.”

If you’re planning on making the most of the good weather while it lasts, why not try out one of Ireland’s top ten beaches or open up the BBQ to try out some of these recipes.

Heavy shwrs will gadually die out later this eve/early tonight leaving most of the night dry and clear.Low 8 to 12 in mod NW'ly breezes
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) August 4, 2016

H/T: Irish Mirror