Enjoy the sunny weather this weekend – as Met Éireann predicts rain to return soon

Tomas Doherty

Parts of Ireland will be warmer than Ibiza this weekend, but enjoy it while you can as forecasters are predicting a change in the weather next week.

Temperatures could hit 26 degrees in parts of Connacht on Saturday, with unbroken sunshine for all areas of the country this weekend.

Most places will continue dry and sunny next week until Wednesday or Thursday.

Met Éireann said low pressure is signalled to become more dominant towards the end of next week, bringing an increased chance of showers or spells of rain.

The prolonged spell of dry weather has put water supplies in some areas “on a knife edge”, according to Uisce Éireann.

The utility company said average water demand in the greater Dublin area had been at a record level of more than 630 million litres per day.

“This is close to the limit of what can be sustainably produced by our water treatment infrastructure,” it said.

Uisce Éireann appealed to consumers to be mindful of their water usage.

A water conservation order, commonly referred to as a hosepipe ban, has been in place for supplies in Mullingar, Co Westmeath; Milford, Co Donegal; and Kells-Oldcastle, Co Meath, since early May.