Westmeath set to be hotter than Lanzarote today

On what is the warmest week of the year so far, the mercury is set to climb into the mid-twenties in the Lake County.

That could well exceed today's top temperatures in Lanzaratore (22 degrees expected) and Tenerife (23 degrees expected).

Met Eireann's Evelyn Cusack said air pushing up towards Ireland from continental Europe was responsible for the balmy conditions.

Unfortunately, however, she told us that the summery spell will not last.

'The air has been coming up from France and Spain, bringing those warm temperatures, but on Saturday, Sunday, and into next week the air will be coming in from the Atlantic which will result in more normal weather conditions,' she commented.

The Met Eireann forecaster said all areas were at risk of some heavy, thundery downpours on Friday, though Connacht and Munster were most vulnerable.

Cooler and more changeable conditions are then expected to take over during the weekend and into next week.