Sunny spell Met Éireann forecast temperatures topping 20C next weekend

Ireland due to get first taste of summer 2022

The primrose flowering in springtime is a cheery sight. Picture by Peter Vrabel

Ralph Riegel

May 02 2022 02:41 PM

Ireland will get its first taste of summer 2022 with temperatures set to exceed 20C next weekend amid good sunshine and extended dry spells.

Families have been urged to make the most of the spell of fine weather as, unfortunately, conditions are likely to prove much more unsettled for large parts of May.

Met Éireann indicated that this week will prove quite unsettled with showers and cloud impacting major areas before conditions become warmer and drier from next Friday.

Tuesday will start mainly dry but the day will later become dominated by rain, drizzle and overcast conditions with highest temperatures of 17C.

Wednesday will again prove cloudy with scattered, light showers though with a drier afternoon which will see slightly higher temperatures of around 18C.

Thursday will again see some rain showers with some occasional spells of sunshine.

Temperatures will again hover around 18C in the east and south with a risk of further, heavier rain spells over the course of the evening.

Friday will see the rain gradually clearing with clear, sunny spells and temperatures rising to 19C.

The best of the conditions will extend from Friday until next Sunday when temperatures will likely exceed 20C over the weekend in parts of the south and east for the first time this year.

It spells good news for holiday resorts and the hospitality trade as Ireland attempts to build on the 'staycation' trend which emerged during the Covid-19 lockdown.

However, the longer range forecast is less encouraging for holidaymakers with unsettled weather likely from May 9 through to the end of the month.

There will be some occasional dry spells as high pressure zones hover around the country, particularly from May 16-22 which will bring clear conditions and warmer temperatures.

May looks like ending on dismal note with the long range forecast indicating quite unsettled conditions from May 23 with extended showers and the likelihood of above average amounts of rainfall in the approach to June.