Hottest weekend of the year on the way for Ireland as temperatures to hit 20 degrees

Met Éireann have predicted highs of 20 degrees on both Saturday and Sunday with prolonged sunny spells for most of the country.

Saturday will be a dry day in most areas with sunny spells developing by afternoon with just stray showers occurring sporadically in isolated areas.

It will be a mild day with highest temperatures of 16 to 20 degrees with light southwest breezes. A few showers over the Irish Sea will move in over eastern and northeastern counties on Saturday night and some mist and fog patches will develop with lowest temperatures of 5-9 degrees overnight.

Sunday will begin mild with good sunny spells at first but will become cloudier later in the afternoon and evening. It will remain largely dry with just a few showers at times. Highest temperatures will again range from 16 to 20 degrees generally but light to moderate easterly breezes will keep it a little cooler in places and showers will move into southern areas at nightfall.

Conditions will turn more unsettled next week as spells of rain and showers push up from the south, becoming heavy at times, and accompanied by blustery conditions.

It will be mild for the time of year at first but temperatures will decrease closer to average for midweek, Met Éireann said.

“Monday [will bring] a wet start to the week with widespread showery rain clearing northwards through the morning and afternoon, followed by sunny spells and scattered showers. There will be some heavy falls at times with thundery downpours possible. Highest temperatures of 16 to 20 degrees with moderate to fresh and gusty southerly winds developing,” a Met Éireann forecaster said.

This showery outlook continues for much of next week with many downpours, some thundery on occasions, expected to track across the country.

High temperatures will remain in the mid to high teens but will be accompanied by wet conditions for most of next week.