It comes as the region recorded its hottest June day in 50 years on Thursday
Temperatures are set to remain high across Northern Ireland amid a warning for thunderstorms, with cooler conditions expected over the next few days.
The Met Office yellow weather warning for thunderstorm is in place from midnight to 10am on Friday, June 26, after days of high temperatures.
Issuing further detail about the warning, a spokesperson for the forecaster said: “A few heavy showers and thunderstorms are likely to move north across parts of Northern Ireland during Friday morning.
“Whilst some places will miss them, where they occur hail and frequent lightning are likely along with rainfall totals of 15-20 mm in less than an hour.”
Looking ahead to Friday afternoon, the Met Office said the weather will “become brighter from the south but still some showers around. Warm and humid.” The maximum temperature is expected to reach 26 C.
As for the outlook from Saturday to Monday, the forecaster added: “Dry, bright start Saturday but occasionally heavy rain spreads east in afternoon. Sunday and Monday look much cooler with sunny spells and showers and an occasionally fresh southwesterly breeze.”
Despite Northern Ireland currently experiencing a heatwave, the region hasn’t been feeling the same heat as other parts of the UK. Parts of England and Wales are currently facing a red extreme heat warning.
When asked how we have escaped the higher temperatures, a Met Office spokesperson told Belfast Live that previous cloudy days have contributed to lower temperatures.
They said: “Much of the heat and the hottest temperatures that the UK experiences come from mainland Europe… as Northern Ireland is mostly coastal, this keeps temperatures here relatively cooler than further southeast.”
Northern Ireland reached its heatwave criteria on Wednesday by exceeding 25 C for three days in a row in Castlederg.
On Thursday, Northern Ireland recorded its hottest June day in 50 years, with 30.8 C at Castlederg, matching the June record set in 1976. The all-time record for Northern Ireland remains 31.3 C which was recorded in Castlederg in July 2021.
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