Temperatures could hit 30 degrees today as status yellow alert now in place

Temperatures could hit 30 degrees in some parts of the country today.

We're in for another spell of very warm weather, with a status yellow high temperature alert now in place for Tipperary and all of Leinster, lasting until Friday morning.

Met Éireann is warning of heat stress, animal welfare issues, uncomfortable sleeping conditions and water safety concerns as people head to rivers, lakes and beaches.

Cathal Nolan from Ireland's Weather Channel says it could be even warmer than expected. "One or two pockets of Leinster could see temperatures up to 30 degrees, he said.

"It's parts of Leinster that are likely to see the highest temperatures today, for examples areas in and around the greater Dublin area, parts of Kildare, into parts of Carlow, Laois, and Offaly. These areas could see temperatures up close to 30 degrees."

In Britain, prime minister Andy Burnham will chair a meeting of its government’s emergency Cobra committee on Wednesday in response to extreme heat, which has caused widespread wildfires and plunged many parts of the country into drought.

Burnham will meet with ministers, officials and agencies as high temperatures continue across the UK on Wednesday afternoon, with temperatures of 33 degrees forecast, and up to 38 degrees on Thursday.

On Tuesday a firefighter union chief warned the country faces a “national emergency” amid ongoing wildfires.

Rare amber “extreme heat” warnings have been issued by the forecaster for London and parts of the South East, East Midlands, East of England, West Midlands and South Yorkshire from 9am to midnight on Thursday.

Nearly three quarters of England and the whole of Wales are in drought, after a record dry July and very dry start to August has combined with high temperatures to put pressure on water resources.