Met Éireann forecasts rain and sunny spells for June bank holiday weekend

A deserted Fountainstown Beach lies under darkening skies as storm clouds roll in. Picture: Chani Anderson

It will be a mixed bag of weather conditions this bank holiday weekend, with Met Éireann forecasting rain, sunny spells, and cooler temperatures.

The national forecaster said a mobile Atlantic regime will bring generally cooler and more changeable conditions across the country.

Rain and drizzle in the north and west will clear on Friday morning, giving way to a largely dry day with sunshine developing later in the afternoon. Highs of 17C to 23C are expected, although it will be slightly cooler in Atlantic coastal areas.

Friday night will remain largely dry at first before cloud begins to build from the Atlantic. Outbreaks of rain and drizzle will move into western areas. Temperatures will fall to between 9C and 13C, with mist and fog patches possible.

Saturday will begin with cloudier conditions in the west, along with outbreaks of rain and drizzle that will gradually spread eastwards through the day. Some bright or hazy spells of sunshine will develop later in the afternoon and evening. 

However, there will also be heavy showers, especially across parts of Ulster, where there is a chance of isolated thunderstorms. Highs of 15C to 21C are forecast.

A mix of clear spells and showers will dominate Saturday night, with the heaviest and most frequent showers expected in the north and northwest.

Sunday will start with a mix of cloud, sunny spells, and scattered showers. Conditions will become cloudier from the southwest later in the day, with patchy rain and drizzle developing along Atlantic coasts during the evening. 

Highs of 15C to 20C are expected, with the warmest temperatures in the east.

More rain will move in later on Sunday night, accompanied by patches of mist. Temperatures will remain between 11C and 14C.

Bank Holiday Monday will bring further outbreaks of rain and drizzle before conditions improve into a mix of showers and sunny spells. Some of the showers could turn heavy. Highs of 15C to 20C are forecast.

Looking further ahead, current indications suggest Tuesday will bring a mix of sunshine and showers, with some heavy showers possible early in the day.