James Cox
Temperatures have exceeded 28 degrees on Saturday, making it the hottest day of the year so far.
Met Éireann said temperatures have hit 28.2 degrees in Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon.
Meanwhile, highs of 27.8 degrees have also been recorded at Athenry, Co Galway and 27.5 degrees at the Phoenix Park in Dublin.
We have reached 28.2C so far today at Mount Dillon, Roscommon, 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/2RgIH5kAco— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) July 17, 2021
Gardaí say they are seeing significant traffic congestion at many of the country's beauty spots today.
In particular, they're advising the public to avoid travelling to certain areas along the Mayo and Wicklow coasts.
They are warning car parks at beaches including Brittas Bay and Magheramore in Wicklow as well as Old Head Beach and Silver Strand in Mayo are now at capacity.
Gardaí are also asking people to be mindful when parking, saying access to beauty spots must be kept clear to allow access to emergency services if required.
Coastal areas
Met Éireann is urging people to take care while enjoying the warm weather this weekend.
While breezes will keep coastal areas cool through the day, meteorologist Aoife Kealy says people still need to be careful when going to beaches.
She said: “Well the best thing to do is to take care in the sun and around any water, so the UV index is very high over the coming few days with all the sunshine so do follow the HSE advice. Stay indoors if you can during the midday and early afternoon sunshine but if you are outdoors take care and make sure to use sunscreen.”
