Met Éireann has confirmed Ireland will see a shift from some wet and windy weather over the start of the weekend to the return of a more settled and milder spell.
Although Thursday has been off to a good start, a spell of persistent rain will extend from the northwest through the afternoon and evening, continuing to Friday, which will be cool and breezy with sunshine and fairly widespread showers - some of them heavy and with the chance of hail and isolated thunderstorms.
While Met Éireann has forecast some scattered outbreaks of light rain and drizzle along with breezy weather on Saturday, Ireland is set to see a return to settled weather from Sunday.
The national forecaster also shared that the weather will turn “pleasantly mild” from Sunday, with the possibility of even warmer weather by midweek, with that settled weather likely to continue for much of next week with high pressure dominating.
The ever reliable Alan O'Reilly from Carlow Weather confirmed that rain and wind would hit over Thursday and Friday, with temperatures set to drop for the latter.
He wrote in a post on X: “Rain returns Thursday and also turning windy in afternoon and evening before turning cold on Friday with mix of sunny spells and showers.”
Here is Met Éireann’s forecast for the weekend, and next week:
Thursday
A few bright spells this morning, but it'll be mostly cloudy and breezy today. There'll be a good lot of dry weather in many areas for a time, but with some light rain and drizzle, mainly across the north and parts of the west.
There'll be some hill and coastal mist and fog too, especially in the north and west and in southern coastal parts too. A spell of more persistent rain will extend from the northwest through the afternoon and evening. Highest temperatures of 10C to 15C or 16C in moderate to fresh and gusty southwest winds, stronger in western coastal parts.
Rain will clear southeastwards early tonight with clear spells and scattered showers following, the showers most frequent in the north and west. Some of the showers will be heavy and of hail, with the possibility of a few isolated thunderstorms in the north and west. Lowest temperatures of 2C to 5C with winds veering westerly and will be moderate, occasionally fresh and gusty, stronger at times in western coastal parts.
Friday
Tomorrow, Friday, will be cool and breezy with sunshine and fairly widespread showers, some of them heavy and with the chance of hail and isolated thunderstorms. The showers will ease and become more isolated later in the day. Cooler than recently with highest temperatures of 8C to 11C in moderate to fresh and gusty westerly winds, strong at times in western and northern coastal parts, but moderating later in the day.
Clear spells and isolated showers at first, mainly in the north and west on Friday night. The showers will die away through the night and clouds will start to build from the southwest. Lowest temperatures of 1C to 5C with winds continuing to ease, becoming light to moderate south to southwesterly overnight.
Saturday
Largely dry for a time and while there'll be some bright or sunny spells, it'll become increasingly cloudy through the morning and afternoon. Some scattered outbreaks of light rain and drizzle, moving into coastal parts of the southwest and west early in the day, will gradually spread further eastwards through the day, along with some hill and coastal mist and fog. Highest temperatures of 10C to 13C in moderate to fresh and occasionally gusty southerly winds, veering southwesterly.
There'll be some clear spells across some northern parts of the country on Saturday night, but elsewhere it'll be mostly cloudy and while there'll be a lot of dry weather overall, there'll be a little drizzle as well as some mist and hill fog. Lowest temperatures of 6C to 10C in mostly moderate westerly winds, a little fresher in some northern parts for a time.
Sunday
Any drizzle, mist and fog will clear through the morning and apart from a few isolated light showers, the rest of the day will be dry. While there'll be a good lot of cloud, some bright or sunny spells will develop through the day. Mild with highest temperatures of 11C to 16C in mostly moderate westerly winds.
Sunday night will be rather cloudy, but dry apart from a few isolated patches of drizzle. Some mist and hill fog is likely too. Lowest temperatures of 8C to 11C in light to moderate southwest winds.
Monday
Monday will be another mainly dry day. Early morning drizzle and mist will clear and apart from a few isolated light showers the rest of the day will be dry. Mostly cloudy at first, but some sunny spells will develop. Highest temperatures of 13C to 16C in light to moderate southwest winds.
Apart from a few patches of drizzle, Monday night will be mainly dry with a mix of cloud and clear spells. Some mist and fog will form. Lowest temperatures of 5C to 8C in mostly light south to southeast breezes.
Tuesday
Tuesday will be another mainly dry day with a mix of cloud and some pleasant spells of sunshine. Highest temperatures of 11C to 16C in mostly moderate southeast winds, fresher in the southwest.
High pressure will continue to dominate for much of the rest of the week so it'll be mainly dry with good spells of sunshine and it's likely to become milder, even warm in places. Some mist and fog will form by night.
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