According to weather forecasts by Met Éireann, unsettled conditions are predicted this weekend, starting from a blustery Saturday that will see widespread rain showers and possibly a few scattered thunderstorms. The showers are set to linger in the north, while brighter, sun-filled spells will replace the rain in other areas by afternoon. However, the temperatures, ranging between 6 to 10 degrees, combined with northwesterly winds will create a chillier ambiance.
During the evening, it’s expected to continue being breezy, with some clear skies and intermittent showers. However, the showers will dissipate during the night and the gusty winds will subside. Later in the night, the southwest and western areas will experience increasing cloudiness, eventually resulting in coastal rain in Kerry. Overnight temperatures will plunge to 0 to 5 degrees, with possible frost.
Sunday will bring dryness in most regions initially, with some sunny intervals especially in the midlands, north and east. However, the western regions will observe increasing cloud cover and rain will start moving upwards from the southwest, affecting the rest of Munster, Connacht, and parts of south Leinster in daytime. This rain is expected to intensify and spread across the northeast in the evening, with highest temperatures varying between 8 to 11 degrees.
Rain laden clouds on Sunday night will result in bouts of rainfall and drizzle, some of it heavy, leading to potential localised flooding especially in the western and southwest regions. Hill and coastal mist and fog are also expected along with temperatures falling to between 4 to 8 degrees.
The starting of the next week appears to be cloudy for Monday with intermittent spells of rain. Heavier rainfalls might cause spot flooding in some places. The weather is predicted to improve in the southwest with possible bright spells. Daytime temperatures will range between 7 to 10 degrees.
Continuing with these conditions, Monday night will be overcast with persistent rain, albeit easing overnight. The mercury will dip to between 4 to 6 degrees under a gentle to moderate breeze from the east. Tuesday appears to be yet another predominantly cloudy day, with less rain but the evening could see heavier, more persistent rainfall in southern and southwestern parts. The temperatures will be in the range of 9 to 12 degrees.
From Tuesday evening, there is a high probability of rainfall heading north-east, with some parts experiencing heavy downpours, while the temperature plummets to between 2 and 5 degrees. Predominantly cloudy conditions are anticipated for part of Wednesday accompanied by rain, which could be quite heavy. However, the weather appears to be clearing towards the north over the day, giving way to brighter or clearer periods from the south. Yet, a considerable amount of rain showers is expected to persist, some of which can be quite heavy, potentially including hailstones and potentially even thunderstorms. Maximum temperatures are slated to hover around 7 to 9 degrees.
The weather forecast for Wednesday evening predicts additional rain showers with a possibility of hail, although they are predicted to lessen resulting in extended dry spells through the night. Temperatures are projected to fall below freezing, ranging between -2 to +2 degrees, which could result in frosty conditions and ice formation as winds die down.
Looking ahead, the turbulent weather seems set to persist over the remaining part of next week and the subsequent Easter weekend, featuring further frequent showers or longer spells of heavy rain.