Sunday will offer the best of the sunshine for anyone heading for the beach this weekend, according to Met Éireann.
While Saturday began bright and sunny the day is forecast to get cloudier with some sunny spells. Some patchy rain and drizzle is forecast in the west.
Met Éireann Meteorologist Mark Bowe said conditions will nevertheless be warm and mainly dry, although it is set to be a little cloudy at times.
The reason for this is a series of weather features including high pressure anchored off Spain and Portugal which is causing a clockwise airflow to help drag up warm moist air from the far south.
Added to this a few areas of low pressure are swirling around the mid-Atlantic and while they will not come near enough to bring any bad weather, they are helping to steer the warm air up over Ireland.
As a result the weather throughout the weekend should remain mostly dry with high temperatures in the low 20s.
“So out there this morning, it’s bright and sunny and mostly dry. A bit more cloud will develop during the afternoon with some patchy drizzle for Atlantic counties and highs around 17 to 21 degrees,” he said.
Speaking on Met Éireann’s audio forecast broadcast at 6am, he said: “Sunday will be the better and drier day. A mix of cloudy periods and sunny spells and highs of 22 or 23 degrees”
It may turn unsettled for at the start of the coming week.
According the national forecaster’s detailed forecast Saturday night will see mostly cloudy conditions across the country with a little patchy drizzle in the west but most places will staying dry.
Light winds and lowest temperatures overnight of 8 to 11 degrees.
Sunday is expected to bring a little scattered cloud in the morning but sunny spells will develop later. A mainly dry afternoon will follow with light winds and temperatures of up to 23 degrees.
A few mist or fog patches will form across the south on Sunday night while a light southwesterly breeze will freshen at times along western counties. Lowest temperatures overnight of 12 to 16 degrees.
Monday is set to become overcast in the morning with outbreaks of patchy rain and drizzle across western counties. Staying dry further east with the best chance of any sunny spells too. It is expected to be quite a mild day with highest temperatures of 21 to 24 degrees and light breezes.
From Tuesday conditions are set to becoming more unsettled early in the morning with outbreaks of rain across the country, possibly heavy at times in the west and south. Limited sunny spells will break through, the best of which will be in the east and north with highest temperatures of 18 to 23 degrees.
The latest models indicate a very unsettled day on Wednesday with widespread rain or showers and generally overcast conditions. It will be a touch cooler than recent days with highs of 16 to 19 degrees and blustery winds at times too.
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