A RECORD HIGH for temperatures during the month of May; was recorded in some parts of the country over the weekend. However, people have been advised to enjoy the good weather while it lasts, as conditions are set to deteriorate.
Temperatures on Valentia Island and at Shannon Airport reached a record high on Saturday, when levels of 27.2 C were recorded.
Belmullet in Co Mayo and Clones in Co Monaghan also had record temperatures for May on Saturday. However, no records were broken on the east coast, where sea winds kept temperatures relatively low.
Midday temperatures from around the country reflected the importance of this breeze yesterday, with a temperature as low as 15 C recorded at Rosslare and 15.9 C being recorded at Dublin Airport.
However on the west coast, noon temperatures climbed to 24 C in Belmullet. A temperature of 22 C was recorded on Valentia Island.
The winds coming off the sea will keep east coast temperatures low for the beginning of the week and will bring a drop in temperatures all over the country today and tomorrow.
But, according to a Met Eireann spokesman, the weather will remain settled and sunny for the next four or five days. There may, however, be some showers in the southwest on Wednesday because of a local weakening of the high pressure area which is delivering this good spell.
The forecasters said that while cloud would become more widespread on Wednesday and Thursday, it should remain dry, and there should also be plenty of sunshine.
No one is willing to predict what will happen on polling day - next Friday - but, pressed for an educated guess, a Met Eireann spokesman said that the day was likely to be dry.