The mercury sizzled to over 25C in parts of Northern Ireland on Monday as people across the north made the best of the balmy bank holiday weather.
Armagh recorded the highest temperature of the day at 25.6C, with Hillsborough second at 25.5C and Belfast airport reaching 25C before dipping slightly to 23C. Derry hit 20C earlier in the day before sea breezes nudged temperatures back down to 18C.
The scorching conditions made it the hottest day of the year, but only since Sunday when temperatures also peaked at 25C.
However, the north stopped well short of its all-time May record of 28.3C, set at Lisburn in 1922.
People enjoying the hot weather in Sir Thomas & Lady Dixon Park as temperatures are expected to rise to 28 °C in parts of Ireland this week. PICTURE: BRIAN LINCOLN
The warm spell is set to continue through the week, though forecasters say temperatures will gradually ease from their bank holiday peak.
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The UK recorded its all-time hottest May temperature as a part of London hit 33.5C.
The high was at Heathrow, in the capital’s west, the Met Office said shortly after 1pm on the bank holiday.
It comes as parts of the South and South East face forecasts of 34C or 35C heat on Monday and Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a temperature of 28C was recorded at three weather stations in the Republic on Monday.
Met Éireann said the figure was reached at Gurteen in Co Tipperary, Oak Park in Co Carlow and Shannon in Co Clare this afternoon.
Crowds flock to Helen’s Bay on bank holiday Monday as heatwave continues. PICTURE: BRIAN LINCOLN
Speaking on Monday, Greg Dewhurst, forecaster at the Met Office, said:
“Tuesday, there should be a bit more cloud around. There’s a weak weather front across Scotland at the moment which will sink towards Northern Ireland, so it may just introduce a little more cloud, perhaps an isolated spot of light rain very first thing in the morning.
“Then the clouds should break up and there’ll be plenty of sunny spells through the day. Temperature-wise, we’re probably looking at high teens to low 20s more widely, with a maximum of around 23C in the Armagh area.
People enjoying the hot weather in Sir Thomas & Lady Dixon Park as temperatures are expected to rise to 28 °C in parts of Ireland this week. PICTURE: BRIAN LINCOLN
“Wednesday will bring plenty of sunny spells with a south-easterly breeze, so the east and south will be a little cooler — Belfast maybe around 19 or 20C — but the west will reach around 24 or 25C. Still dry with plenty of sunny spells.
“Into Thursday, there’s maybe a chance of an isolated shower developing, but otherwise plenty of sunny spells still around with temperatures of around 23C, again probably highest in the west.
Crowds flock to Helen’s Bay on bank holiday Monday as heatwave continues. PICTURE: BRIAN LINCOLN
“Friday will likely see a change in wind direction to more of a westerly, bringing fresher Atlantic air. It should stay largely dry, possibly an odd spot of light rain overnight Thursday into Friday morning, but then it clears. Temperatures will be around 21 or 22C.
“Into the weekend, fresher air will continue with an increasing chance of some rain through Saturday and possibly into Sunday, and temperatures in the high teens to locally low 20s.
“So a very gradual fall – ”still really pleasant in spells of sunshine and largely dry, but hints of a change towards the end of the week.”