The weather this bank holiday weekend is expected to be unsettled, starting off dry but with showers emerging on Sunday and Monday, according to Met Éireann.
Saturday is to start off dry and sunny across most of the country, although a few showers may push into southern coastal counties at times. Highest temperatures will range from 14 to 20 degrees, but it will be coolest along the east coast. Northeasterly winds will remain light to moderate.
It will continue dry and clear in most areas on Saturday night, but isolated showers will push into southern areas. There will be minimum temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees with light northeast to east breezes.
On Sunday rain is forecast to extend northwards across the country, turning heavy in places. High temperatures will range from 14 to 19 degrees, coolest in the east and southeast, with light to moderate easterly breezes.
Monday will bring bright with sunny spells. There will be some showers in Leinster and Munster, but it will be mainly dry in Connacht and Ulster. High temperatures will range from 13 to 17 degrees, with light easterly or variable breezes.
The weather is forecast to become more unsettled from Tuesday onwards with spells of rain spreading from the southwest. Temperatures will be in the high teens or low 20s.
Meanwhile, Met Éireann said all mean air temperatures across the country were above their 1981-2010 long-term average last month. Deviations from mean air temperature ranged from 0.8 degrees at Sherkin Island, Co Cork to 2.1 degrees at the Phoenix Park in Dublin.
The highest temperature of the month (21 degrees) was reported at Shannon Airport, Co Clare on May 28th. The month’s lowest temperature (1.4 degrees) was recorded on May 31st at Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon.
Three stations had their warmest May on record. They were Phoenix Park at 12.9 degrees (record length 123 years); Dunsany, Co Meath at 12.2 degrees (record length 29 years); and Athenry, Co Galway at 12.3 degrees (record length 12 years).
The highest daily rainfall total was 21.8mm at Claremorris, Co Mayo on May 6th. The number of rain days ranged from 14 days at Roche’s Point, Co Cork to 22 days at a number of stations.
The number of wet days ranged from eight at Sherkin Island to 20 days at Malin Head, Co Donegal. The number of very wet days ranged from no days at Oak Park, Co Carlow, to four at Newport and Knock Airport in Co Mayo.
