Hoped-for temperatures as high as 26 degrees on the east coast on Sunday may not materialise, but it is likely to come very close.
After a start to Sunday that was a little duller than expected, Met Éireann said it had revised its weekend forecast with temperatures now expected to be in the region of 24 to 25 degrees. On Friday the national weather forecaster had said Sunday would be very warm and dry, with sunny spells and temperatures up to 26 degrees.
Temperatures in Dublin were about 20 degrees on Sunday morning but Met Éireann meteorologist Linda Hughes said the higher range of temperatures was still possible.
“It is because of the cloud cover” she said. “ If the sun comes out, temperatures will be up.”
She said the chances of the sun bursting through on Sunday afternoon were good. “The sun will bring things up this afternoon,” she predicted.
Conditions along the western and southern coasts, however, will not be as warm. Temperatures were just 13.7 degrees in Galway at 11am on Sunday and 15.3 degrees on Sherkin Island in Co Cork.
Some parts of the Atlantic coastal area have already seen patchy drizzle and there was isolated mist or fog patches along southern coasts.
More persistent rain and drizzle is expected to develop along west and northwest coasts later. Winds will be mostly light to moderate southwesterly, fresh to strong on northwest coasts.
Sunday night and Monday
Early on Sunday night the rain and drizzle will become more widespread across Ulster, Connacht and west Munster, extending southeastwards, but becoming very patchy. Clearer, mainly dry conditions will follow from the northwest and it will turn cooler and fresher. Minimum temperatures of 9 to 13 degrees are predicted, in mostly light to moderate westerly breezes.
Monday will be bright and mainly dry, with sunny spells and just a few isolated light showers in the north and northwest. Maximum temperatures of 14 to 19 degrees are expected, in moderate west to northwest winds, fresh to strong on north and northwest coasts.
Changeable weather is forecast in the week ahead, with some rain at times, but overall a good deal of dry weather. It will, however, turn cooler from midweek.
