Don’t pack away the sunscreen and the shorts just yet, as the country could see temperatures soar to the mid 20s next week.

The sun and high temperatures saw the country bask, then sweat, in the heat over the last few months, with hosepipe bans in place until the end of August.

But while the rain has since returned in the past few weeks, many would have believed that that was it then — but from next week, a continental airmass is set to see the temperatures soar.

Looking to the weather for Saturday (August 8), Met Éireann has said that it will be dry for most of the day across Munster and Leinster with a mix of cloud and sunny spells. Connacht and Ulster, however, will be cooler and cloudier, with patchy outbreaks of rain and drizzle. Highest temperatures of 17C to 25C, warmest in the midlands and east.

Further patchy rain and drizzle is on the way on Saturday night, mainly in the north and west. Much of the south will remain fully dry, but it will be warm for nighttime temperatures with lows of 13C to 16C.

Sunday will bring a mix of cloud and sunny spells, as well as patchy rain and drizzle mainly across the west and northwest; this will sink southeastward with the odd heavy burst. Highest temperatures will range wildly, with highs of 16C in the northwest to 25C in the southeast.

Well-scattered showers will kick off Sunday night, but it will be overall dry and calm under clearing skies. Lowest temperatures of 9C to 13C.

Monday will be dry with a mix of cloud and sunshine, warmest across Munster and Leinster, with top temperatures of 17C to 24C.

Tuesday is set to be warmer again, with long spells of summer sunshine. Top temperatures will be from 22C to 26C in light westerly breezes.

Wednesday will be even warmer again — and humid — with a mix of cloud and sunshine occurring throughout the day with some showery outbreaks moving in from the Atlantic. Some parts of the east and southeast will remain fully dry, with top temperatures of 22C to 28C.

Looking to the rest of the week, Met Éireann has said that it will still be rather warm in the south and east, turning fresher elsewhere. A fair amount of dry weather is expected with just isolated showers.