Weekend temperatures to hit low 20s in 'beginning of summer' change

Met Éireann says that early indications show a dry and sunny weekend with light northerly breezes. Picture: Denis Minihane

Weekend temperatures could mark the "beginning of summer weather" as temperatures are expected to peak at 21°C on Sunday.

Met Éireann says that early indications show a dry and sunny weekend with light northerly breezes.

Before that, it will be a changeable couple of days with some passing showers and the highest temperatures due to increase steadily from 16°C today to 20°C by the weekend.

Friday will start with dry weather and sunshine across the west of Ireland, but moving further east will see rain and drizzle.

Temperatures are expected to rise we move into the weekend with highs of 18°C in parts.

According to Met Éireann, Saturday will see the first of the summer weather start to set in.

Sunny spells and dry weather will be the order of the day, with temperatures expected between 16°C and 19°C.

Rain is a possibility but the day will mostly be dominated by sunshine.

Sunday however is expected to be the hottest day so far with temperatures expected to reach into the low 20s.

Alan O'Reilly from Carlow Weather says temperatures might even reach 22°C .

Mr O'Reilly told Newstalk: "We could see temperatures hitting 20°C or maybe even getting slightly above 20°C, 21°C, or 22°C in some areas."

"It will also be hopefully mainly dry," he added.

"The amount of sunshine is a little bit uncertain, but we would hope for some bright spells and especially in the east."

Mr O'Reilly says May 2021 will be remembered as a "particularly cold and wet" month, despite a warm weekend ahead.

He says improving conditions in the coming days could be the start of Ireland's summer.

"I think it will be cool and certainly a very wet May,' he said.

"We will look back on the records because many weather stations may also see some record rainfall amounts.

"The meteorological season of summer starts on the first of June so maybe this is the beginning of our summer and hopefully, hopefully, it might be a signal of what's to come."