Electric Picnic weather: Rain forecast for much of festival weekend

Ireland’s largest music festival is set to welcome 80,000 attendees from across Ireland to Stradbally Estate, Co Laois. File picture

The summer heatwaves are well and truly over as the final weekend of August approaches, with rain expected for much of Electric Picnic.

Ireland’s largest music festival is set to welcome 80,000 attendees from across Ireland to Stradbally Estate, Co Laois, where it has been held for more than 20 years.

There will be more than 800 performances across 50 stages at the festival from August 28 to August 30, with the line-up including Lewis Capaldi, Gorillaz, Fontaines DC, Zara Larsson, Sombr, CMAT and Amble.

Rain forecast for festival weekend

The first festivalgoers are set to arrive on Thursday, with rain predicted from early morning until 9pm, and temperatures reaching 19C before dropping to 16C overnight.

Friday is set to be drier, though Met Éireann predicts light rain showers between 1pm and 4pm, with temperatures ranging from 15C to 20C.

The national forecaster predicts that rain will return on Saturday around lunchtime and continue through much of the evening before clearing overnight.

Temperatures are expected to range from 17C to 18C during rainfall, dropping to 14C to 15C during dry periods.

It is set to be even wetter on Sunday, with showers beginning from 10am and heavy rain forecast into the afternoon and evening.

Temperatures are also set to drop to 12C overnight and in the morning, with a high of 15C predicted for the final day of the festival.

These lower temperatures will continue into Monday, though it is set to be dry for the day as festivalgoers pack up and head home.

The fields are likely to be wet when campers arrive to set up tents, as today and Wednesday are set to see heavy showers and some isolated thunderstorms.