Thunderstorm warning for 10 counties on final day of heatwave

Sarah Mooney

Updated 1pm

Met Éireann has widened a thunderstorm warning to 10 counties as Ireland’s heatwave draws to a close.

The national forecaster said southern and eastern areas of the country will experience thunderstorm activity today, along with localised "downpours".

The status-yellow warning for Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow, Cork, Tipperary and Waterford came into force at 9.30am and will remain in effect until 9pm tonight. Cavan, Donegal and Leitrim were later added to the warning.

It comes as a high temperature warning remains in place for Leinster, but is due to expire at 7pm this evening.

“On Tuesday the very warm weather will continue to occur over Leinster with daytime temperatures of 25 to 28 degrees,” Met Éireann said.

The recent heatwave has brought record-breaking temperatures, with Ireland's  highest temperature of the 21st century provisionally recorded in Dublin on Monday when the mercury hit 33 degrees Celsius in Phoenix Park.

The reading is only 0.3 degrees below the all-time record – 33.3 degrees at Kilkenny Castle on June 26th, 1887.