Irish weather: Azores High to bring hot conditions and highs of 28C

The Azores High will start building this week, according to the national forecaster, leading to more warm and settled weather. Picture: Dan Linehan

The Azores High is to bring "very warm or even hot" weather to Ireland this week, with temperatures set to hit highs of 28C on Friday. 

The weather phenomenon will build this week, according to Met Éireann, with warm and settled weather to come.

The Azores High is a large and persistent atmospheric high-pressure centre that develops over the eastern North Atlantic Ocean during the winter and spring seasons. 

Traditionally, it moves westwards in summer and is known as the  Bermuda high and contributes to warm and humid weather in the US. 

While mostly warm and dry weather is expected through the week, with just some patchy drizzle due, Met Éireann says it will get much warmer from Thursday. 

Monday will see spells of sunshine and just some light showers in Connacht and Ulster as temperatures hit highs of 23C. There will be some light patchy rain or drizzle to the west and northwest tonight, but it should remain dry and clear in the south and east with temperatures dropping to around 9C. 

Tuesday will be humid with some "patchy outbreaks" of drizzle, but Munster and the south midlands are set to see "warm spells of sunshine". Temperatures are expected to peak at around 17C to 24C. 

Mostly warm and dry weather is expected through the week Picture: Andy Gibson.

Dry and mild weather should dominate Tuesday night, says Met Éireann, with some drizzle in the west and northwest. Temperatures should stay between 11C and 15C. 

Wednesday will again be dry, apart from isolated light showers across western and northern areas. It will be generally cloudy, however, "warm sunshine will break through across east and southeast areas". 

Temperatures will again hit highs of 17C to 24C. 

Thursday is when the weather is set to take a turn for the warmer, thanks to the Azores High. Temperatures are set to hit 26C, with the country seeing "a dry day for most with warm spells of sunshine".

Dan Galvin making the most of the fine weather as he wakeboards at Cork Powerboat and Waterski Centre in Dripsey, Co Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

There is a chance of it staying cloudy "across north and northwest areas with the chance of a few showers," says the forecaster.  Generally, it should stay dry with warm spells of sunshine. 

On Friday, as the Azores High hits, Met Éireann says the "very warm or hot continental airmass looks likely to feed up across Ireland with sunny conditions occurring widely". 

Looking into the weekend then, the national forecaster has said there is some uncertainty but "the potential for widespread hot sunny weather to remain."

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