Sunday was hottest day of year with more sunshine on the way

Ireland basked in the warmest day of the year on Sunday, with a high of 23.1 degrees recorded in Newport, Co Mayo.

Dublin and Cork enjoyed the longest stretches of sunshine during the day, with 15.2 hours observed, according to Met Éireann.

“It is probably not going to get as hot as that today,” Met Éireann forecaster Gerry Murphy said on Monday morning, noting that overall the country will see highs of 18 to 21 degrees.

It is expected to be very mild and mainly dry with long spells of sunshine across most of the country. It will be a little cooler and breezier along the south coast, while western coastal counties should expect some clouds and possible drizzle in the late afternoon.

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“The very warm weather is continuing on Monday and continuing over the eastern half of the country on Tuesday,” Mr Murphy said, adding that there will be a more unsettled period after that.

Tuesday will see a marked “east-west split”, with the dry sunshine lingering along the eastern half of the countr, where temperatures will reach 22 degrees. Cloudy skies in the west will bring scattered showers and highs of 17 degrees.

“Things change more noticeably on Wednesday,” Mr Murphy warned, adding that there will be “heavy and persistent rain” pushing up from the south. It will be a wet day for most of the country, although it should stay dry in Ulster. Munster will experience maximum temperatures of 15 degrees, while it could reach 22 degrees in northern counties.

At the moment, Thursday looks as though it will start quite cloudy with showery outbreaks of rain, he said. The afternoon looks set to be drier, with temperatures again expected to surpass 20 degrees.

Although scattered showers are predicted for the end of the week, Friday will start mostly dry with sunny spells. Met Éireann is predicting a slightly cooler day, with temperatures in the late teens.

Mr Murphy cautioned that it is “too early to say” how the bank holiday weekend will play out, but currently it looks as though there will be a mix of sunny spells and showers.

“It doesn’t look too bad at present. Temperatures are likely to be in the mid to late teens… That is subject to change,” he added.

Meanwhile, the heat is bringing with it a high ultraviolet radiation (UV) index score of six to seven, meaning it is “vital” anyone spending time outdoors protects their skin against sunburn and skin cancer, the Marie Keating Foundation is warning.

As sunseekers make a break for the beaches and green patches, the foundation is urging people to use sunscreen with factor 30+ protection, to wear protective clothing, hats and sunglasses, and to seek shade when the sun is at its peak between 11am and 3pm.

Director of nursing with the foundation, Helen Forristal, noted that skin cancer is the most common cancer in Ireland, with 12,000 non-melanoma versions and about 1,200 melanoma skin cancers diagnosed in the country each year.

There are “lots of misconceptions and a lack of understanding” of which sunscreens will protect against the sun’s harmful rays, she said.

“It is key that you look for a brand that offers both UVA and UVB protection and is rated with five stars ideally. There are also many myths around how much sunscreen to apply and how long it lasts; it is key that people get a better understanding, as rates of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, are on the rise,” she added.