Sunny skies and ideal conditions for entertaining outdoors

After temperatures as high as 23 degrees on Tuesday the next few days are set to hit 24

The coming days will feature some of the warmest temperatures so far this year, according to Met Éireann.

The forecast for long spells of summer sunshine came as much of the country basked in a temperatures as high as 23 degrees, recorded in Dublin’s Phoenix park on Tuesday afternoon.

Speaking shortly before 5pm Met Éireann Meteorologist Deirdre Lowe said it was as yet too early to say where in Ireland had the highest temperature. But she said good spells of sunshine were experienced across most of the country, with the Northwest faring not quite so well.

According to online estimates it was 19 degrees in Wicklow at 5pm, 22 degrees in Dublin, 21 degrees in Longford and 19 degrees in Galway.

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Met Éireann said Wednesday is set to be even warmer, with afternoon temperatures set to hit 24 degrees, in light northwesterly breezes.

Ms Lowe said the northwest would again be somewhat cooler with some low cloud around, but temperatures should hit about 17 degrees.

The bad news however is for the weekend, with some rain about on Friday and Saturday, the showers moving up across Leinster and the midlands from the south.

Dominate

According to the detailed forecast high pressure looks set to continue to dominate for much of this week, turning more unsettled from later Friday and over the weekend.

Tuesday night will be dry with clear spells. Later on, patches of mist and fog will develop, in a light northerly or variable breeze. Lowest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees, but slightly milder in southern coastal counties.

Wednesday is set to be be another warm and mainly dry day with spells of summer sunshine and just light northerly breezes, but isolated showers will develop in southern coastal areas in the afternoon. Top temperatures of 20 to 24 degrees over most of the country.

Thursday: Thursday will start dry with sunny spells. Cloud will bubble up as the day goes on with scattered showers developing through the morning and afternoon. A warm day with highest temperatures of 20 to 24 degrees in a light variable breeze, though it will feel a little cooler near coasts where on-shore breezes develop.

°There will be a dry and bright start to Friday with spells of sunshine. However, scattered showers will develop in the afternoon before cloud builds over the southwest in the evening, bringing outbreaks of rain across Munster later in the day. Another warm day with highest temperatures of 19 to 24 degrees, coolest along the south coast in a light to moderate southerly breeze, fresh at times in the southwest.

Rain

Outbreaks of rain will spread further northwards early on Saturday, followed by widespread showers, turning heavy and possibly thundery at times. Remaining relatively mild with highest temperatures of 17 to 21 degrees in a moderate southerly breeze.

Remaining generally unsettled into early next week with heavy showers at times or longer spells of rain. It will stay mild but temperatures will not be quite as high.

Tim O'Brien

Tim O'Brien

Tim O'Brien is an Irish Times journalist