Slowly but surely summer is on its way with gradually improving temperatures giving way to hot weather next weekend.
The possibility of an elusive spell of “fine settled weather” is building day-by-day, according to Met Éireann forecaster Siobhan Ryan.
The weather will remain distinctly average for the weekend and into early next week. Saturday will be the last day of widespread rain for a while and a strong westerly breeze will keep temperatures below 20 degrees.
Sunday is forecast to be dry but cloudy with well-scattered showers. However the southeast and east of the state will be mildest with sunny spells. Highest temperatures are forecast between 15 and 19 degrees.
An Azores high, which can bring with it a prolonged period of hot weather during the summer, is building from the south and will start to cross the country on Tuesday.
“From Tuesday onwards the south of Munster, much of Leinster and east Leinster will begin to see that improvement take place with temperatures possibly in the low-20s,” she explained.
“Those higher temperatures seem to push further northwards from Thursday and Friday. You could get mid-twenties then. By next weekend every place will get its share of hot weather.
“For the weekend you will see weather in the mid-twenties, 20 to 25 degrees on Saturday, and the same on Sunday. Beyond that it looks like we are in for a settled spell at long last.
“Beyond next weekend the Azores high is still around and the weather fronts appear to stay well away from our shores. There are reasonable signs that we are in for a period of prolonged settled weather at this stage.”
