Sizzling conditions to continue as heatwave lasts until weekend

The heatwave is set to continue at least until the weekend, according to Met Éireann, which has predicted temperatures in the mid to high 20s today and tomorrow.

Yesterday saw temperatures tip 25 degrees, making it one of the hottest days of the year, but not quite as hot as Tuesday when 28 degrees was recorded in Mullingar, Co Westmeath.

Some hazy sea fog has stopped temperatures rising too high in the east coast, says Met Éireann which notes the fine weather will continue through the weekend and into the early days of next week.

Tomorrow will be another very warm day with lots of sunshine and light winds, while both Saturday and Sunday will remain warm, with further pleasant sunshine.

It will, however, be cloudier and less humid, with the risk of patchy rain, most likely later on Saturday and on Sunday night.

The sunburn index, which measures the extent of Ultra Violet radiation, is categorised as "high" today with a burn time of 45 minutes or less, and half that for sensitive skin.

The Irish Cancer Society, through its SunSmart campaign, reminded people to cover up during the hot weather to avoid burns and reduce the risk of skin cancer. According to the National Cancer Registry, skin cancer - caused by exposure to UV radiation - is by far the most common form of cancer in Ireland, with over 5,500 cases of the disease diagnosed annually.

Radiation is divided into UVA, UVB and UVC, the last of which is filtered out into the sun's atmosphere. UVB (the burning rays of the sun) is absorbed in the outer layer of the skin, potentially causing sunburn and skin cancer. UVA is longer wavelength radiation which can cause photo-ageing and skin cancer.

Across Europe, UV readings predict burn times today of as little as 10 minutes for sensitive skin. In places such as Gran Canaria and Ankara, Turkey, the burn time is 12 minutes amid maximum temperatures of 29-31 degrees.

The European heatwave has claimed at least 34 lives to date, with 14 casualties in forest fires in Portugal, and 13 deaths in neighbouring Spain.