We are finally starting to see a change in the weather pattern in western Europe after a very wet and windy few months which seen some records broken here in Ireland with some intense wind storm hitting from time to time.

The map below shows sea surface temperature anomaly. Looking at the north Atlantic you will see the blue colours which is a cold pool and one of the reasons it has been a very wet and windy winter here in Ireland, The Uk and much of Western Europe.

But the good new that there is now a change in the weather pattern occurring which will bring much relieve to people after all the rain and flooding over the past few weeks and hopefully put a smile on all our faces in this hard time for Ireland and the UK.

Over the end of the week a very strong area of high pressure will build out of the west over the Atlantic acting as a blocking pattern keeping the westerly at bay.

The Anomaly chart below shows this area of high pressure been a rare and extremely strong blocking pattern with air pressure possibly as high as 1050hPa.

It will turn much colder from Friday up until at least next Tuesday with a very cold northeast to easterly airflow that will see temperatures over the last few day of the month in single figures by day with very cold and frosty night with temperatures dropping as low as -4C to -5C as that colder arctic air effects us.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday will see dry weather across Ireland with good bright and sunny spells. Friday and Saturday day time temperatures will range between 7C to 11C but Sunday , Monday and Tuesday next week temperatures will only range between 5C to 7C.

After Tuesday next week there is uncertainty in the forecast with both the ECMWF & GFS model showing two different outcomes. The ECMWF shows a northerly airflow next week after Tuesday which would bring the risk of snow showers into the northern half of Ireland later in the week.

The GFS keeps us in a easterly flow changing to a warmer southeasterly airflow near the end of next week with the risk of unsettled weather over the weekend .

None of these are set in stone yet and it will be the end of this week before the picture for the end next week become much clearer.

With nice weather expected over the weekend with high pressure build out to the west over the Atlantic i would ask people not to flood to beaches and tourist attractions as this will increase the risk of catching and spreading the COVID-19 virus. Please enjoy the sunshine and weather from home.

Ireland as much worse day ahead with the peak of this virus still a few weeks away.