Sunny Monday expected after a washout start to bank holiday weekend

Hang in there sun-lovers — a sunny Monday is expected after what might be a washout start to the bank holiday weekend, particularly in the east.

There is an orange rainfall alert for Leinster until early on tomorrow morning because heavy and persistent rain is expected.

Met Éireann has warned that rainfall amounts of 40mm-70mm are expected in the region over the next two days.

Weather forecaster Harm Luijkx said heavy overnight rain in Cork would clear away early today, bringing a mix of sunny spells and showers.

“The heavy rain will be in the south early on Friday night and then it will move northward. It will be very wet in Leinster and east Munster,” said Mr Luijkx.

“It won’t be a bad weekend. It might take a while before it clears in the northeastern part of the country on Sunday, but, other than that, it is improving everywhere and Monday is expected to be the best day,” he said.

However, it will be a very wet day over the eastern half of the country today with spells of heavy rain, leading to localised flooding.

It will be brighter further west with some sunny spells and just a few showers.

Tonight there will be further spells of rain in Leinster and Ulster with a continued risk of flooding.

It will be mainly dry in Connacht and Munster with clear spells.

Tomorrow rain will continue over Ulster, gradually clearing northwards as the day goes on. The rest of the country will be mainly dry with sunny spells and perhaps a few isolated showers.

Mr Luijkx said Monday looked like being the best day of the bank holiday weekend countrywide with good sunny spells and temperatures recovering to the high teens or low 20s.

However, the sunny spell is not expected to last long — the weather is expected to become unsettled again during next week with showers or longer spells of rain.

Meanwhile, Met Éireann said it was warm everywhere last month and dry and sunny in most parts of the country.

The month’s highest temperature was recorded at Oak Park, Co Carlow on July 25 at 27.6C.

However, the month was not as hot at July last year, with the exception of Malin Head, Co Donegal, where the highest July temperature (25.7C) since 2006 was recorded.

Some weather stations, mainly in the southern coastal counties, reported their highest night-time temperatures in five to 19 years. Most stations reported below average rainfall with the exception of Ballyhaise, Co Cavan, Malin Head and Athenry, Co Galway.

It was the driest July in Roche’s Point since 2005.

Dublin Airport recorded its lowest number of dull days since 1990 while Knock Airport had more dull days than anywhere else.