Spring arrives at last as milder weather replaces cold easterly winds

After a bitterly cold start to the year, the weather will become more seasonal this weekend. Highs of between 15 and 16 degrees tomorrow will make a welcome change from the prolonged winter that has been our lot since the middle of February.

Met Éireann forecaster Siobhan Ryan said the easterly winds that have dragged temperatures down will depart and more normal southwesterly conditions will prevail.

“The pay-off is that we will have rain and windy weather, though it will be mild,” she said.

Temperatures tomorrow will be best in the midlands and east, but the west will get a lot of wind and rain.

The forecast for next week is for averages of 12 to 13 degrees with it feeling milder as the week goes on. “Nearly every second day will bring some rain. It is quite a mobile regime,” she added. “In comparison with what we have, it is going to be a lot milder.”

There will be some rain or showers at times but amounts will probably be small and a good deal of dry bright weather is expected overall.

March was the coldest on record with temperatures 3 degrees below normal in most places.

Temperatures for the first half of April have also been below normal and farmers have expressed alarm at the fodder situation.

Given the dry weather of late, a mixture of sunshine and showers with mild temperatures is what will be needed to get grass growing again.