Northern Ireland has had its hottest day of the year today, smashing through the previous record which had been set just 24 hours earlier.

The Met Office recorded a high of 29.5C at Castlederg, a couple of degrees higher than the what had been predicted.

On Thursday, the hottest temperature had been 25.7C, also at Castlederg.

The new record for the year falls 1.3C short of the Province's all-time high for the month of June: 30.8C, recorded in Knockarevan in Co Fermanagh on June 30, 1976.

placeholder image — Chris Maule from Bubble Trouble pictured making bubbles at Hazelbank Park, Newtownabbey, amid yesterday's hot sunshine: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

The outright all-time high for Northern Ireland was 31.3C, recorded at Castlederg on July 21, 2021.

Today's readings from the Met Office show the top five hottest places in the Province were:

Castlederg, 29.5C (at 3.02pm);

Thomastown in Fermanagh, 28.7C (at 2.11pm);

Jointly Armagh and Derrylin, Fermanagh, 28.6C (at 1.40pm and 1.29pm respectively);

Aldergrove, 28.4C (at 2.34pm);

And the Giant's Causeway, 27.7C (at 2.49pm).

So how does that compare to the rest of the UK?

Well, Northern Ireland was hotter than Scotland (28.9C at Drumnadrochit), but not as hot as England and Wales (joint highs of 30.8C at Heathrow and Whitechurch, respectively).

Unfortunately, the super-sunny spell of Thursday and Friday looks to be the last for the time being.

Becky Mitchell, a forecaster at the Met Office, told the News Letter: "Some temperatures on Saturday will be very warm, but not as warm as Friday, with temperatures reaching the mid-20s.

"There's looking likely to be heavy showers in the evening developing from 6pm, and the odd rumble of thunder.

"The showers will be a bit hit-and-miss, but just about everywhere across the Province.

"On Sunday, it's looking much fresher: we've got quite a change in weather type.

"A front will move in from the west bringing a heavy spell of rain across Northern Ireland, and possibly a few rumbles of thunder. It looks like the rain should clear most places by 3pm, with probably a maximum temperature of 17C.

"On Monday it's likely to be dry with sunny spells and possibly the odd shower, temperatures looking around average: about 19C.

"On Tuesday it's a little cloudier with the odd spot of patchy drizzle: temperatures about 19C.

"At the moment it looks like quite a changeable picture towards the end of the month: quite windy at times, rather similar to Monday and Tuesday, average temperatures with some rainy weather passing through."

Any chance of another bright, hot spell soon?

"Nothing that stands out at the moment," she said

"At the moment the signs are pointing towards those changeable conditions continuing into early July."