It’s been raining, but only a little bit, as heatwave continues

Parts of the country were experiencing light showers on Wednesday after almost three weeks without significant rainfall.

Met Éireann said light showers are forecast for the coming days but dry and warm weather is also set to continue.

A status yellow drought warning remains in place until Friday with “some alleviation” in drought conditions in places this week.

Met Éireann forecaster Liz Gavin said outbreaks of rain and drizzle will affect mostly northern areas on Wednesday.

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“At the moment there are outbreaks of rain and drizzle in the north but amounts overall are going to be small,” she told The Irish Times on Wednesday morning.

“Elsewhere across the country, really you’d be lucky to get a shower. There is a lot of dry weather continuing for the coming few days.

“They are going to be very light [SHOWERS]if they do occur, a millimetre or two at most.”

Cloudier skies through Wednesday will bring scattered outbreaks of rain and drizzle in places but it will be dry most of the time. Highest temperatures will be between 17 and 22 degrees with some patches of fog developing overnight.

There will be occasional light showers during Thursday but again it will be dry most of the time with spells of hazy sunshine and highs of between 20 and 23 degrees.

Friday will be warm and sunny with the occasional shower across the south of the country during the afternoon with highest temperatures between 20 and 26 degrees.

Saturday is expected to be dry and sunny for the bulk of the country but cloud will increase towards western and northwestern coastal areas during the day. Highest temperatures will be between 21 and 27 degrees.

It is due to remain warm and sunny in the eastern half of the country on Sunday with temperatures again rising to 27 degrees. There will be occasional light rain, cloudier skies and lower temperatures over western areas.

Irish Water said it is continuing to monitor the situation on a daily basis and assessing the need to introduce further limits in addition to the hosepipe ban.

“While the hosepipe ban doesn’t extend to businesses, we are appealing to businesses to conserve water where possible,” a spokeswoman said.

A red forest fire warning remains in place which states all outdoor use of fires, barbecues and other open ignition sources are to be avoided on forest lands, public amenities and high risk areas.

Emergency services are continuing to tackle a major gorse fire in Barna, Co Galway. It is understood the fire has been contained and firefighters are now working to ensure it is fully extinguished.

Air Corps helicopters were deployed to assist firefighters in Northern Ireland on Tuesday to tackle a gorse fire in the Slieve Gullion area of Co Armagh.