IRISH holidaymakers are being warned that temperatures will rocket to 40C in a top sunshine spot in just days. Carlow Weather's Alan O'Reilly said mercury is set to soar in Spain this weekend - and Ireland looks set for a mini scorcher too with highs of 24C. He said: "Warming up in Spain for the weekend with 40C possible in parts of the South by Sunday.
"Back home here we could see 23C or 24C by Sunday." The Aragon and Catalonia regions of Spain will be hottest on Saturday and Sunday. Seville, Cordoba, Madrid and Zaragoza will also experience intense heat over the coming days.
Meteorologist Jose Miguel Viñas said: "We are heading straight to the 40C mark." Back at home, Met Eireann has pinpointed the hottest day for the upcoming week. The weather bosses also issued a major potato blight warning for farmers as temperatures and humidity rise.
Met Eireann's Andrew Doran-Sherlock confirmed warm and sunny spells for today, although cloud and rain will settle over some parts. He said: "It will be rather cloudy today in the north, west and southwest with isolated patches of rain and drizzle, dry elsewhere with sunny spells. "Highs of 16C to 21C or 22C, warmest away from Atlantic coastal counties in light occasionally moderate southwest winds which will turn fresher in northwestern coasts later.
" Andrew explained that cloud will continue into tonight. He said: "It will then be mild tonight with cloud extending eastwards across the country with a few spots of light rain or drizzle.".
