Twelfth 2025 could be the hottest in 12 years with Northern Ireland temperatures set to soar
Saturday could well be the hottest Twelfth of July in 12 years.
As Northern Ireland basks in another heatwave, the thousands of participants and spectators at the traditional parades are in for a dry, hot and sunny day.
Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Steve Willington, said: “The current heatwave is more widespread than previous heatwaves this summer. Temperatures are likely to locally approach 30°C on Saturday over Northern Ireland.”
With the Met Office predicting the peak of the current heatwave looks likely to be on Saturday, it is possible it could break the previous record for the hottest ever Twelfth day.
So far the highest temperature recorded on July 12 was in Belfast in 1983 with a sizzling 30.8 °C.
With the forecast for all of Northern Ireland set as dry, hot and sunny, forecasters say there is just a small chance of a shower across the far west later on Saturday afternoon. There will be cooling onshore breezes along the east coast.
The fine weather will continue on Saturday evening with dry, very warm and sunny conditions. Then the rest of the night will remain dry with lengthy clear periods and it will be a warm night in many places with minimum temperature of 15 °C.
Sunday will also be dry, hot and sunny for most of the day. It will be cloudier by the evening with the chance of a few showers and cooler along the east coast.
The maximum temperature is likely to be 28 °C.
A change is on the cards for the start of next week with rain, occasionally heavy, moving northeast early on Monday morning followed by scattered showers. There will still be a few showers on Tuesday before it becomes drier on Wednesday. It is still forecast to be quite warm.