Temperatures to soar to 26 degrees in parts of Ireland this weekend

Irish weather can be deceptive and anyone looking out at a gloomy Friday morning need not despair – good things are expected this weekend.

According to Met Éireann, ominous signs of dark skies and rain will be short-lived and the days ahead promise varying levels of summer depending on where in the country you live. If anything can be certain it is that temperatures will soar, particularly by Sunday.

The forecaster says that whatever patchy rain or drizzle is out there early on Friday will begin to clear during the morning, giving way to a mainly dry day with sunny spells.

It may be a bit “fresher and cooler” than recent days but who will complain when temperatures still reach between 15 and 20 degrees, conditions that look like finally ushering in some summertime. The warmest weather is expected in the sunny southeast.

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Friday night will continue to be dry and mostly clear but as with the day time, the evening will be a little cooler than of late with temperatures falling to between 7 and 10 degrees.

Much like Friday, Saturday morning will begin cloudy and with some drizzle but this will again brighten up during the day, although remaining cloudy in some parts of the west and north of the country. Leinster and Munster can get ready for some heat with Met Éireann anticipating a range of 21 to 23 degrees. Elsewhere is likely to fall between 16 and 20.

Sunday promises to bring the best. Very warm and dry across most of the country (Leinster, Munster and east Ulster) with sunny spells and temperatures stretching out between 22 and 26 degrees.

Even if things are a bit cooler and cloudier in western counties it could still reach 21 degrees.

And as if sensing the weekend is over, the rain is only due to reappear on Sunday evening and night. Initially showers will develop across Connacht and Ulster, and later on sweeping through the west and northwest and spreading to the east.

By early next week, some showery conditions will linger around the country but things look generally good with high temperatures.