Cork closes in on all-time heatwave record as another hot and sunny day forecast

It will be another hot and sunny day across most of the country on Friday. The highest temperatures will be in the south, east and southeast. Cork is likely to see another scorching day of high temperatures of 28 degrees. Moore Park in Cork has now had 12 consecutive days of heatwave closing in on the all-time record of 14 consecutive days which was recorded at Birr Castle between August 14th and 27th in 1976. A status yellow high temperature warning from Met Éireann will be place on Friday for Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wexford, Cork, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford with maximum temperature expected of 27 degrees. READ MOREThe warning is valid from midday on Friday to 8pm. Friday looks like being the last day of the very high temperatures, but the weather will remain warm and dry into the weekend. ExplainerWhat is an official heatwave in Ireland? A dog rests in shade of trees in Dublin's Phoenix Park. (Chris Maddaloni/Chris Maddaloni/The Irish Times) When does a warm spell become a heatwave?A heatwave is defined by Met Éireann as five or more consecutive days where temperatures of 25 degrees and above are observed at a single weather station.There will be an east-west split across the country with a northerly breeze keeping temperatures at between 17 and 24 degrees. The coolest temperatures on Saturday will be in Donegal with just 16 degrees expected. The pattern will remain for the foreseeable future with warm temperatures in the south and east while the north and west will be cooler, but still pleasant with highs of 21 degrees. The best of the sunshine will be over Munster and Leinster with highest temperatures of 21 to 25 degrees. [ Irish cities need heatwave plans, coalition of health experts saysOpens in new window ]Sunday will be dry with sunny spells and northerly breezes. Again, it will be warmest over Leinster and Munster with the best of the sunshine and highs of 21 to 25 degrees.Monday to Thursday will continue largely dry with temperature values similar to the weekend as northerly breezes make it feel slightly cooler. There is no rain forecast for the next 10 days and many places in the south of the country are now officially in drought.