The fine weather that dominated the start of April before a recent and unwelcome turn for the worse looks set to make a glorious return before the end of the month.
While the current Met Éireann forecast up until early next week doesn’t make for particularly pleasant reading, more promising signs are to be found in the national forecaster's extended range forecast, the most recent of which was published on Tuesday, April 15.
That forecast points to the arrival of high pressure, which is “strongly signalled to become more dominant” in the last few days of April and first few days of May - the start of the traditional summer in Ireland, as opposed to the meteorological summer, which starts in June - a promising sign for anyone with plans for the May Bank Holiday weekend.
The extended range forecast for the week of Monday April 28 to Sunday May 4 reads: “High pressure is strongly signalled to become more dominant through this period with the high centred close to or over Ireland bringing generally settled conditions.
“Dry and fine periods of weather look more likely with drier than normal conditions indicated along with above average mean temperatures. Warnings seem unlikely for this period.”
The week after is looking pretty decent too, with signs that “largely drier than normal conditions are favoured across much of the country”, with northern and eastern counties set to be hit with the heaviest rain when it does inevitably arrive.
While a long way out at this remove, the last week of the extended range forecast, May 12-18, suggests a return to unsettled conditions with “a greater chance of spells of rain or showers, with some thundery episodes possible, typical for the time of year”.
As always, extended range forecasts should be treated with a degree of caution as, in Met Éireann’s own words, “forecasts beyond one week become increasingly uncertain due to the chaotic nature of the atmosphere”.
In the immediate future, it looks like we’re in for plenty of wet and windy weather over the Easter weekend, with a Status Yellow rain warning kicking in for Cork and Kerry at 11pm on Thursday night and remaining in place until midday on Good Friday.
Indeed, Friday looks set to be the worst day of the weekend, with heavy rain nationwide that may cause localised flooding in the worst affected areas.
Saturday will start off cloudy and damp but become drier as the day moves on, while Sunday will see good spells of sunshine in the East, with any rain likely to arrive in the west, where cloudier conditions will prevail.
Easter Monday, meanwhile, will see a mix of showers and sunny spells and highest temperatures of 11 to 14 degrees.
Check out the Met Éireann forecast for the coming days below.
Thursday
Today will start cold, bright and mostly dry with just isolated showers. Cloud will build from the southwest through the morning and the showers will become heavier and more frequent for the afternoon as they move northwards across the country. Rain will develop in the southwest by early evening. Highest temperatures of 9 to 13 degrees with light to moderate south to southeast or variable winds.
Tonight will be wet and breezy with showery rain moving northwards across the country. The rain will be heavy at times and may cause localised flooding. Lowest temperatures of 4 to 8 degrees with moderate to fresh east to southeast winds developing.
Friday
Tomorrow, Good Friday, will be wet and breezy with showery rain continuing. The rain will be heavy at times and may cause localised flooding. Highest temperatures of 9 to 13 degrees with moderate to fresh easterly winds.
Wet with showery rain persisting on Friday night. Lowest temperatures of 5 to 10 degrees with moderate to fresh easterly winds.
Saturday
A cloudy and damp start to Saturday, with further outbreaks of rain. It will become generally drier as the day goes on but some patches of light rain or drizzle will linger in some areas, mainly in the west. Highest temperatures of 9 to 15 degrees with moderate to fresh easterly winds, easing later.
Mostly dry on Saturday night, with some breaks in the cloud, but some patches of light rain or drizzle will continue in the west. Lowest temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees with light southeasterly or variable winds.
Sunday
There is some uncertainty in the forecast for Easter Sunday, but current indications are for dry weather in the east, with occasional sunny spells, but cloudier weather in the west with rain moving in. Highest temperatures of 10 to 14 degrees in a moderate southeasterly breeze.
Rain will move eastwards across the country on Sunday night, followed by showers. Lowest temperatures of 7 to 9 degrees with moderate southeast to south winds.
Monday
Rain will clear from the northeast on Easter Monday morning and will be followed by sunny spells and showers. Highest temperatures of 11 to 14 degrees with a moderate to fresh south to southwest wind.
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