IRELAND is in for a “rollercoaster of temperatures” over the coming 10 days – with highs forecast to possibly hit 24C before disappearing again.
We basked in glorious 29C temperatures as a mini-heatwave swept across the country last week, but, with over two thirds of the summer still ahead, many are asking if the sunshine will return.
Temperatures could reach up to 22C tomorrow[/caption]
Looking at the week ahead, Carlow Weather’s Alan O’Reilly told how Ireland has returned to its more typical and changeable Irish summer – but we may still get brief blasts of heat over the next few days.
He said: “A rollercoaster of temperatures over the coming 10 days with some brief pulses of warmer air over Ireland but doesn’t stay long.”
The weather boffin added that parts of Spain, Portugal and France are still warm for this time of year.
And looking at how wet the week ahead will be, O’Reilly said: “Total rainfall forecast for next seven days, highest totals in Ireland likely in West and Northwest with Southeast expected to see a lot less.”
And despite the week ahead looking rather dreary for some, Ireland’s Weather Channel said long-range forecasts show a “higher chance” of another heatwave hitting the country in the second half of summer.
He explained: “While seasonal forecasts remain rather difficult to produce there are signs emerging if one reads a little deeper into the sea surface temperatures across the Atlantic that we won’t see a repeat of the past two overcast and rather disappointing summers, with a higher chance of more settled conditions taking hold for the second half of the summer.
“This is well represented in the latest ECMWF sub-seasonal forecast with a clear trend towards more settled conditions with high pressure from the middle of July onwards.
“Indeed the red bars indicate the preference for a blocked pattern, with high pressure building either across or to the northeast of the country, ensuring warmer sunnier conditions.”
However, before the summer-like conditions arrive, the weather looks set to stay rather mixed as the jet stream steers in a number of low pressure systems which brush along the northwest coast.
Ireland’s Weather Channel explained: “Indeed a northwest southeast split in our weather develops with the best conditions at all times this week in the southeast, while it’s more overcast and wet in the northwest.”
The weather expert pinpointed Wednesday, Thursday and the weekend as the best days this week, especially across east Munster and much of Leinster.
Looking at conditions tomorrow, Met Eireann has forecast variable cloud, some sunshine and well scattered showers for most, although it will become mostly cloudy with patchy drizzle near the south coast.
Cloud will thicken from the Atlantic later, and rain will develop in the west and southwest by evening time.
The national forecaster said temperatures will peak between 17C and 22C.
UNCERTAIN WEEKEND
And looking towards Saturday, Met Eireann say current indications suggest it could be a “mainly dry and sunny” day with southwesterly winds continuing to ease and just the chance of a few showers.
Temperatures will peak between 16C and 21C.
Met Eireann said the rest of the weekend still looks uncertain.
It said: “Still uncertain, but potentially more cloud and rain spreading from the Atlantic, with the best chance of drier and more settled conditions in the east and southeast.”
Ireland’s Weather Channel said temperatures may creep as high as 24C this weekend.
He explained: “One area to watch at the moment is for warmer temperatures creeping into the models for Saturday and Sunday, with highs possibly reaching up to 23C or 24C, maybe even a little higher to the east of high ground in East Munster and Leinster where a Foehn effect could help temperatures reach up to 26C.”
Ireland will experience a mixed bag of temperatures over the coming days[/caption]
