The weekend will start off hot and sunny, but scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected by Saturday evening and throughout Sunday, according to weather service Weeronline.

Friday will be dry with a mix of sun and cloud and temperatures ranging from 24° to 28° in the southeast, Weeronline said.

Saturday begins with plenty of sunshine and early temperatures climbing quickly to the mid-20°s. By the afternoon, most of the country will see summer temperatures above 25°, with the south possibly reaching 31°. It will also be warm along the coast.

Clouds will begin to develop in the south during the afternoon, bringing a risk of isolated showers. Thunderstorms could follow in the evening, first in the south and centre, then spreading northwards later in the night.

Sunday will be less sunny overall, with heavy rain and thunderstorms expected in many areas from the afternoon. These showers could be intense with strong gusts of wind. Temperatures will range from 23° to 27°.

Next week will bring more changeable weather, with cooler temperatures between and showers on most days. However, some sunshine is still expected between the rain, and the chance of showers will decrease towards the end of the week.