Met Éireann has said the very warm or hot conditions will continue this week with daytime temperatures reaching the mid to high 20s.

The national forecaster said it will be mainly dry and sunny but there will be a risk of showers and thunderstorms developing in parts of the country.

A Status Yellow high temperature warning has been issued for counties Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Galway and Mayo.

Maximum temperatures in excess of 27° are expected, along with night-time temperatures over 15°.

The warning will be valid from 1:00p.m today (Monday, July 13) until 7:00a.m on Wednesday (July 15).

The conditions will make sleeping uncomfortable and bring a risk of heat stress in people and animals, forest fires and drought.

There will also be potential water safety issues due to increased use of lakes, beaches and waterways.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has issued a 'Condition Orange' warning, indicating a high fire risk.

The warning is currently due to remain in place until 12:00p.m today.

Weather

The forecast shows that today will be a dry, warm and sunny day.

Highest temperatures ranging from 24° to 29° in Munster and Connacht and 20° to 24° in Leinster and Ulster, in a light to moderate east to north-east breeze.

Tonight will be dry and mainly clear with overnight lows of 13° to 18°, feeling warmest in the south. The north-easterly breezes will be light to moderate.

Tuesday will be mostly dry and sunny, some cloud will build in parts of the south bringing the chance of isolated showers in the south-west.

Highest temperatures of 23° to 29°, warmest in the west in a mostly moderate easterly breeze.

Tuesday night will be dry with clear skies in most areas. Cloudier in the south and west with the chances of some showers.

Lowest temperatures of 14° to 19°, warmest in the south, with light to moderate easterly winds.

It will be another dry and sunny day for many areas on Wednesday, but some showers of thunderstorms are possible in the south, midlands, and west.

Highest daytime temperatures of 23° to 28°, cooler near the east coast in a light to moderate easterly breeze.

Thursday will be very warm or hot with sunny conditions. There will be a chance of heavy showers and thunderstorms, most likely in the south and west.

Highest temperatures of 24° to 28° in light easterly breezes, becoming gusty near in the showers.

The current outlooks shows that Friday will be sunny and very warm or hot. Heavy showers or thundery downpours are possible in some parts too.

Met Éireann

Met Éireann said that rainfall amounts will remain below average across the country over the coming week with many areas seeing little to no rainfall.

As there is a possibility of heavy showers or thundery downpours from Wednesday onwards, there may be higher rainfall amounts locally.

The coming week will be much warmer than average with mean temperatures of 16° to 21°, which is 2° to 5° above normal levels. Soil temperatures are due to increase further.

Drying conditions will be good or very good over the coming days due to settled and very warm conditions.

Conditions will be poor where heavy showers or thunderstorms occur from Wednesday.

There will be good opportunities for spraying over the coming days with dry conditions and moderate winds.

Due to the high daytime temperatures, Met Éireann said the window for spraying may be limited to the cooler hours of the morning and late evening.

Soil moisture deficits will increase nationwide over the coming week, ranging from 30mm in the north-west to 80mm in the south-east.

Growth will become increasingly restricted across Leinster, Munster and the midlands.