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Ireland experiences longest heatwave since 1976

Barra Bestand
Cecilia Daly,weather presenters, BBC News NI
News imageGetty Images A young woman with fair skin and strawberry blonde hair is sitting bent forward on a sofa with her elbows on her knees and her hands beneath her chin. In front of her face is a fan. Her eyes are closed and her hair is blowing in the breeze of the fan. Getty Images
It is the longest recorded heatwave in 50 years

The Republic of Ireland is now enduring its longest heatwave since the famous long and hot summer of 1976.

In that year, there were 14 consecutive days of the heatwave threshold of 25C or above at Birr Castle in County Offaly and Ballybrittas in County Laois.

Moore Park in County Cork recorded 25C on Friday, making it the 13th day in a row that the heatwave temperature threshold has been met at the site.

A heatwave in the Republic is when 25C or above is recorded at a weather station for at least five consecutive days, while in Northern Ireland that temperature must be reached for three days at the same site.

News imageBBC Weather Watcher AlicelouiseP Silent Valley in Kilkeel. Green mountains and water is at a low level.BBC Weather Watcher AlicelouiseP
The water level is low at Silent Valley reservoir in Kilkeel

The current heatwave in Northern Ireland has lasted five days in a row at Castlederg up until Thursday, but with cooler air forecast on Friday, it looks unlikely to make it a sixth day of 25C or above.

That would make it the longest heatwave since June this year, but still well below the Northern Ireland heatwave record of 13 days in both 1976 and 1995.

In the summer of 1995, there were four heatwaves in Northern Ireland which is probably the most recorded in a single summer.

News imageBBC Weather Watcher Jon Rathlin island harbour with blue, white and red boats tied up. There's a row of white buildings in the background. BBC Weather Watcher Jon
The water in Rathlin Island harbour was still enough this week to create this postcard-worthy moment

The summer of 1976 is remembered for its long spell of heat as well as lack of rainfall and people had to collect any rainwater that fell to water their gardens.

The UK Met Office say that due to the planet warming, we can expect more extreme weather events including heatwaves and the speed at which our climate is changing is down to human activity.

Met Éireann say that heatwaves have become more frequent and more intense globally since the 1950s.

Human-caused climate change is the main driver of this increase in extreme heat.

According to climate projections, it is virtually certain that the duration, frequency and intensity of heatwaves will increase over most land areas.

When will the heatwave end?

News imageBBC Weather Watcher RachelC Black cows in a filed with Mussenden Temple in the backgroundBBC Weather Watcher RachelC
Some thirsty looking cows at Castlerock

Temperatures will fall below the heatwave threshold across the whole island of Ireland this weekend, due to cooler northerly winds.

It will still be warm in many counties with some clouds in the north but plenty of sunshine elsewhere.

Apart from a very localised shower, no rain is forecast until at least the middle of next week.