A new Status Yellow High Temperature warning has been issued by Met Éireann for parts of the country for tomorrow, (Friday, July 17).

A Status Yellow High Temperature weather warning is already in place for: Carlow; Kildare; Kilkenny; Laois; Longford; Offaly; Westmeath; Cavan; Donegal; Munster; Connacht.

That weather warning will remain up to 6:00 tomorrow Friday morning.

However, now a new Status Yellow High Temperature warning has been issued for the period from noon tomorrow (Friday) until 8:00p.m tomorrow.

The affected counties are: Carlow; Kilkenny; Laois; Offaly; Wexford; Cork; Limerick; Tipperary; Waterford.

Maximum temperatures in excess of 27°C are expected and the potential impacts are:

Water safety issues due to increased use of lakes, beaches and waterways;
Heat stress;
Forest fires;
Drought;
Animal welfare issues.

Continuing high temperatures

Today, Thursday, July 16 will be very warm and largely dry with plenty of sunshine.

There is a slight chance of one or two showers developing in the south and west.

Highest temperatures of 24° to 29° or 30° are expected, warmest in the midlands and west with light north-east or variable breezes.

Tonight will be dry with clear spells and possibly some patches of mist and fog. Lowest temperatures will range from 12° to 16° in light to moderate northerly winds.

Friday will be dry with light to moderate northerly breezes. It will be sunniest over Munster and Leinster with highest temperatures of 25° and 28°, warmest in the south.

It will be somewhat cloudier and a bit cooler in Connacht and Ulster with highest temperatures of 17° to 24°.

Friday night will be dry with clear spells and light to moderate northerly breeze with lowest temperatures of 11° to 14°.

Weekend weather

Saturday will be dry with moderate northerly breezes. The best of the sunshine will be over Munster and Leinster with highest temperatures of 21° to 25°.

It will be somewhat cloudier over Connacht and Ulster with highest temperatures of 16° to 21°.

Saturday night will be dry with clear spells and a few patches of mist and fog, with lowest temperatures of 11° to 14°.Sunday will be dry with sunny spells and northerly breezes. Again, it will be warmest over Leinster and Munster with the best of the sunshine and highs of 21° to 25°.

There will be a bit more cloud over Connacht and Ulster with highs of 16° to 21°.Next week, Monday to Thursday will continue largely dry with mainly north to north-west breezes.

It will be cloudy at times, especially over Connacht and Ulster where temperatures will range from about 16° to 21°.

Munster and Leinster will be warmer with more sunshine and highest temperatures of 20° to 25°.

Water conservation

Meanwhile, Uisce Éireann is urging customers across west Cork and parts of north Cork to use water wisely as demand for treated water continues to rise during the current spell of warm weather.

Uisce Éireann said it is actively monitoring the network, managing water resources, repairing leaks and implementing targeted measures to protect supplies where needed.

Although raw water sources remain at healthy levels, the sustained warm weather has significantly increased water usage, according to the utility.

This means treated water is being used faster than it can be produced and replenished in local reservoirs, placing additional pressure on the network.

To support water supplies during this period of increased demand, Uisce Éireann has also put contingency measures in place across parts of west Cork and north Cork.

These measures include targeted contingency tankering operations to replenish treated water reservoirs and support areas experiencing increased demand.

The additional water aims to help maintain reservoir levels, protect local supplies and strengthen network resilience, ensuring a reliable water supply.

In west Cork, within the Bantry region, contingency tankering will continue to support water supplies in Nohoval, Derryginach, and Cahernacin.

In Clonakilty, tankering operations will remain in place to support customers in the Ardgehane and Reenascreena supply areas.

Meanwhile, in north Cork, contingency tankering to Freemount will continue, alongside ongoing tankering operations supporting Courtbrack and Dunmahon-Glanworth.

To help protect water supplies, overnight restrictions will also remain in place at:

Johnstown Reservoir on the Ballykenly/Johnstown Scheme (11:00p.m until 5:30a.m);
Dunmahon-Glanworth (11:00p.m until 5:30a.m);
Nohoval (10:30p.m until 7:00a.m).

Uisce Éireann said that the night-time restrictions are essential to allow treated water levels in the reservoirs to recover, in order to ensure a full and continuous daytime supply for homes, businesses and essential services in these areas.

Also, a Water Conservation Order is in place for Dublin, south Tipperary and parts of Kildare, Meath, Wexford, and Wicklow.

Tips to conserve water

Drop the hose: Use a rose-head watering can over a hose or sprinkler. Aim for the roots. Water plants early or late in the day to limit evaporation;
Take short showers instead of a bath: Reducing your shower time can save up to 10L of water per minute. A typical bath uses 80L;
Turn off the tap: Not running water while brushing your teeth or shaving can save up to 6L a minute. Keep a jug of water in the fridge for drinks;
Fill up your appliances: Only run your washing machine and dishwasher when they have a full load;
Fix dripping taps: A single dripping tap can waste between 5,000L and 10,000L of water a year;
Use a basin in the sink: Use a basin when rinsing vegetables or washing dishes and reuse that water for your plants;
Clean the car with a sponge: When washing your car, avoid the hose and use a bucket and sponge instead;
Install a water butt: Use it to collect rainwater from your gutters for gardening or washing the yard;
Pick plants wisely: Opt for low-water plants like lavender or olive trees. Established plants and lawns often don't need watering unless there's a drought;
Lock in moisture: Add bark or plant material to flower beds to prevent evaporation or use gel beads in pots to keep roots hydrated.