Ireland weather: Met Éireann forecasts hottest days of year this weekend

This week will see a mix of sunny spells and showers with temperatures to fluctuate in the mid-teens before temperatures spike to 19 degrees on Friday and then breach 20 degrees for the weekend in what are likely to be the hottest days of the year so far.

Tuesday will be a blustery day with sunny spells and scattered showers, turning heavy at times, and showers will be most frequent in the west and north.

Temperatures will hit 17 degrees, mildest in the southeast, with moderate to fresh and gusty southwesterly winds, strong at times in the west and northwest. It will remain breezy tonight with clear spells and showers and the chance of hail in areas.

Wednesday will also see a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers, again with a chance of hail in some areas as showers become heavy at times. It will become drier towards Wednesday evening as showers become more isolated and temperatures will reach highs of 12-16, where it will again be warmest in the southwest.

“Showers and outbreaks of rain at times to end the week but becoming warmer and drier for the weekend,” a Met Éireann forecaster said.

“Becoming largely cloudy early on Thursday with outbreaks of rain and drizzle spreading over Connacht and Ulster. It will be drier elsewhere with scattered showers. Highest temperatures of 11 to 15 degrees in moderate to fresh southwesterly winds”.

Friday will have a quite cloudy start with scattered showers mainly in the west and north but it will gradually brighten up as the day goes on, with sunny spells developing and showers easing. Temperatures will hit 19 degrees in the southwest but only 13 in the northwest.

Saturday will be a warm and mainly dry day with long spells of sunshine and just a few light showers as temperatures are set to breach 20 degrees for the first time this year in relatively calm conditions.

“A warm and dry day on Sunday before it turns more unsettled again for the early days of next week,” the forecaster said.