Heavy Showers Ahead of Dry Spell Next Week

Ireland is set for mixed weather over the next 36 hours, with heavy showers expected across Munster and Connacht this evening, some of which may bring thundery downpours.

The unsettled conditions will shift focus to the eastern half of the country on Saturday, before a dramatic change takes hold from Sunday.

A much drier pattern is expected to develop across Ireland from the end of the weekend and persist well into next week.

Temperatures are forecast to climb steadily during the dry spell, with values 2 to 3°C above average. Rainfall totals are also expected to remain below normal, thanks to a dominating high-pressure system that will limit Atlantic fronts, although occasional incursions may bring some rain to the northwest and north.

By next weekend and into the following week, weather models—including the GFS and ECMWF—are projecting a marked rise in temperatures. Highs could reach the low to mid-20s, with some forecasts suggesting peaks of 26 or even 27°C within ten days.

However, the combination of high temperatures and increasing humidity will also raise the risk of thunderstorms.