Today believed to be the hottest day ever recorded in Northern Ireland with temperatures reaching 31.2 degrees

The Republic of Ireland also saw its hottest day of the year with temperatures reaching 29.3 degrees.

Today (Saturday, 17 July) is believed to be the hottest day ever recorded in Northern Ireland, according to the UK Met Office. The UK's national weather service has said that temperatures in Ballywatticock in Down reached 31.2 degrees this afternoon, making today "provisionally the hottest day ever recorded in Northern Ireland". The previous record for Northern Ireland stood at 30.8 degrees and was reached on 12 July, 1983 and 30 June, 1976.

Today is provisionally the hottest day ever recorded in Northern Ireland ? ?

Ballywatticock in County Down reached 31.2 °C at 15.40 ?️ Previously, 30.8 °C was the highest #temperature recorded in Northern Ireland, reached on 12th July 1983 and 30th June 1976 #heatwave pic.twitter.com/pFIDwHmCvG — Met Office (@metoffice) July 17, 2021

Meanwhile, as predicted earlier, today was the hottest day of the year so far for the Republic of Ireland. While there was "beautiful sunshine around much of the country", Met Éireann confirmed that temperatures peaked on Saturday in Athenry in Galway at 29.3 degrees.

We have reached 29.3C so far today at Athenry, Co. Galway, making it the warmest day of the year so far. ?️ Beautiful sunshine around much of the country today too.☀️☀️

Check back later for today's max temps from around the country ? pic.twitter.com/D9n513BpMw — Met Éireann (@MetEireann) July 17, 2021

The sunshine is set to last into tomorrow, according to the Republic of Ireland's forecaster. Met Éireann says Sunday will be dry with good spells of sunshine for most. That said, there will be a little more cloud around than Saturday, bringing the chance of an isolated thundery shower during the evening over the southern half of the country. It will be "very warm" with temperatures ranging from 23 to 27 degrees generally, though it will be cooler in the northwest and along eastern coasts with highs there of 18 to 22 degrees. It even looks like the heat will stick around long into next week. Met Éireann's national outlook reads: "High pressure bringing predominantly dry, very warm and mostly sunny weather for much of next week. "Remaining very warm and humid at night also."