One man and his dog good weather could last until weekend

MET ÉIREANN says the sunny weather which arrived yesterday will become progressively warmer as the week continues.

Temperatures of between 23 and 24 degrees can be expected in the west later this week as a high pressure ridge settles over the country. Today the east will enjoy the best of the sunshine, with temperatures reaching 17 to 20 degrees.

The early summer weather is being driven by warm easterly winds coming in from the Continent and gradually spreading across the country.

The warmest temperatures are expected on Thursday or Friday. The sunburn index will be between six and seven, so people are advised to wear suncream. Easterly breezes will keep the temperature cooler close to the south and east coasts, but it will still be pleasantly warm and sunny.

Temperatures will fall back over the weekend with rain expected in the south, but it will still be warmer than of late. An easterly breeze will make it slightly cooler, but it will be mostly dry and sunny and temperatures will reach the mid to high teens.

Met Éireann forecaster Sandra Spillane said night-time temperatures would be the same as last week’s daytime temperatures.

The figures so far for May show it to be colder and wetter than usual. The average temperature recorded at Dublin airport has been a paltry 7.6 degrees, almost 3 degrees below normal for the time of year.

In Mullingar, it has been 2 degrees below normal and Cork Airport has been 1.8 degrees below normal.

While March was warm and sunny, temperatures in April were colder than they had been for at least a decade.