Get shorts, sunscreen and shades ready because a summer heatwave could be on its way to Northern Ireland for Twelfth weekend

Today, Met Office Meteorologist Aiden McGivern said after a ‘thickening of the cloud for Northern Ireland and western Scotland there will be a sunny day with lighter winds leaving it feeling much warmed’.

He added that ‘high pressure will bring widespread warmth by Thursday and Friday’.

The news comes as Weather observation extremes for yesterday reveals that the ‘Highest maximum temperature was in Killowen at 22.4 °C’ whilst yet again the Sunniest weather in Northern Ireland came to Katesbridge with 6.9 hours of pure sunshine.

The Met Office adds that ‘things will warm up this week, with heatwave criteria being reached in parts of the UK by the end of the week’.

‘Temperatures could climb into the low 30s, although this heatwave is not expected to see temperatures quite as high as the one experienced at the end of June/early July.

‘It is going to be widely dry with sunny spells over the coming days, although Northern Ireland and northwest Scotland will see some cloud and light rain or patchy drizzle at times. It will be breezy near some North Sea coasts.

‘Whilst temperatures are expected to build day on day, becoming widely very warm or hot, they are unlikely to surpass those recorded at the start of the month.

‘This heatwave is expected to be longer lived and extend north and west into a larger part of the UK than previously seen this summer.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Neil Armstrong, said: "High pressure from the Atlantic will lead to a build in temperatures over the coming days, with heatwave criteria reached by the weekend.

‘Temperatures are expected to exceed 30°C in some areas towards the end of the week. England may reach 30°C on Thursday, with up to 32°C possible in parts of England and Wales on Friday.

“Scotland is also expected to meet heatwave criteria over the weekend.

‘This hot spell is forecast to last longer and cover a broader area than previous ones so far this summer, and affect areas further north and west.

“In addition, pollen and UV levels will also be very high in some areas.”

When will the heat end?

There are signs that less hot, or fresher, conditions may arrive from the west early next week, but exactly how quickly this transfers eastward is uncertain.

It’s certainly possible that hot conditions may persist for a while longer, especially towards central, southern and eastern areas.

And the Met Office Northern Ireland are also reporting that today there will be ‘some bright or sunny spells in the east at first, but cloud over western counties will extend to all areas through the morning, perhaps bringing the odd patch of light rain’.

It adds that ‘western areas may begin to brighten again towards evening’ with a ‘maximum temperature of 21 °C’.

Tonight, will be ‘largely cloudy to start with some patchy light rain’ with ‘clearer breaks developing at times through the evening, but clouding over again from the west through the early hours’.

There will be a minimum temperature 11 °C.

Tomorrow will have ‘a cloudy start with some light rain over northern counties’ but ‘becoming dry and bright through the morning with good sunny spells continuing through the afternoon’.

There will be a maximum temperature 22 °C.

And the outlook for Thursday to Saturday is that ‘after a quite cloudy start Thursday a ridge of high pressure will bring increasingly sunny and warm or very warm weather’

Meanwhile the long distance forecast – Saturday 12 Jul - Monday 21 Jul – is ‘settled at first, with very warm or hot weather quite widely across the UK’.

‘There is a small chance of a few thunderstorms, but most areas will likely be dry.

‘Early next week, a transition to less hot conditions is expected, but with uncertain timing.

‘This could bring an increasing chance of some rain or showers, perhaps thundery, but there is scope for very warm or hot conditions to persist in more eastern and southern areas.

‘Beyond midweek, a rather changeable pattern is anticipated with some rain or showers possible at times, which could be heavy and thundery, but interspersed with drier interludes.

‘Whilst a downward trend in temperature is anticipated, it will still likely be warmer than average, especially in the south and east where hot spells remain possible’.

And the forecast for Tuesday 22 Jul - Tuesday 5 Aug is ‘a continuation of the broad themes from earlier in the month at first, with high pressure probably dominating the south and lower pressure more favoured to affect the north and northw

‘Temperatures are likely to end up above average overall with a continued, and perhaps higher than normal, chance of occasional hot spells or heatwaves, especially further to the southeast.

‘However, around the turn of the month, there is a signal for perhaps more widely unsettled weather to develop, though the details of this remain rather uncertain’.