Unsettled spell brings thunderstorms to Ulster

Ireland has been experiencing a notably unsettled spell of weather over the past week, and Saturday brought no reprieve as scattered heavy showers moved in across the country.

These showers turned particularly heavy and thundery over Ulster, with multiple reports of lightning strikes in Counties Derry and Donegal.

The current instability is part of a broader pattern of unsettled weather that has affected Ireland since late last week, bringing frequent rain or showers, often accompanied by gusty winds.

Saturday’s activity was particularly intense in northern regions, where convective showers developed rapidly, leading to isolated thunderstorms.

Looking ahead, the weather is set to remain changeable. A more organised band of rain is forecast to move in from the Atlantic on Saturday night, extending across the entire country overnight and into Sunday morning. This frontal system will bring widespread rain before gradually clearing eastwards, leaving behind scattered showers and some bright spells during the latter half of Sunday.

Unfortunately, this unsettled spell shows no signs of abating in the near term. Weather models indicate that the changeable conditions will continue into the coming week, with further showers or longer spells of rain expected most days. While brief dry interludes are possible, particularly in the south and east, any improvement is likely to be short-lived.