In what has been now over a month of very nice and mainly settled weather with above average amounts of sunshine in many places with everyone getting a good dose of vitamin D the question i suppose on many folks lips are when will be pay for all this good weather.

Well to answer that at the moment there is no major signs of big rainfall amounts over the next week with the most amount of rain to fall on Wednesday over the southern half of Ireland.

Looking towards the end of next weekend there are signs that there will be a sharp drop in temperatures with even the risk of some winter like weather with snow on higher parts.

Rainfall totals for the past week were above average in many parts of the midlands and south, but below average in the northwest an in the east. Malin Head recorded 8.1mm of rain, which is 57% of its average for the time of year. Shannon Airport recorded nearly twice its average amount, with 25.9mm, but the wettest station was Cork Airport, with 29.7mm.

Between Monday and Wednesday the highest rainfall amounts will be across Munster especially south Munster with up to 15mm to 30mm expected by Wednesday night, the highest of them totals over Co.Cork. Chart below showing rainfall totals between Monday 4th May to Wednesday 6th May 2020.

Ulster, Connacht and north Leinster will the driest weather between Monday and Wednesday night with some areas seen no rainfall at all especially northwestern counties.

Temperatures this week will be average for the time of year and slightly below average for some areas. Temperatures across the southwest, west, northwest and midlands will range between 15C to 19C From Monday to Friday with temperatures elsewhere between 11C to 15C.

Highest sunshine amounts this week will be across the northwest and north.

On Thursday there looks like there could be the risk of some thundery showers in places with a slight risk again on Friday.

At the end of next weekend there are signals coming from the ECMWF model that a very cold arctic air mass will push south across Ireland with day time temperatures in single figures and temperatures below freezing at night. The last two model runs also show the risk of even some sleet or snow but mainly over higher ground.

For the latest weekly forecast you can find it below

MONDAY 4TH MAY 2020

Monday looks set to be a dry day across Ireland with sunny spells again across the northwest and north elsewhere there will be some bright and sunny spells but it will be a lot more hazy due to high level cloud. It will be a warm day especially across the west , southwest and northwest with temperatures between 17C to 19C, it will be a little cooler elsewhere with temperatures between 12C to 15C especially across the eastern half of Ireland due to easterly breezes.

On Monday evening and night cloud will increase across the south of Ireland with outbreaks of rain moving into the southwest overnight. it will stay dry everywhere else but will be cloudy across the southern half of Ireland with some clear spells across the northern half of Ireland.

TUESDAY 5TH MAY 2020

Tuesday morning a spells of rain will move across the southwest, south and southeast with some heavy falls for a time this rain will clear to the east later in the morning and over the afternoon which will be followed by showers across south and southeastern coastal counties. Elsewhere across Ireland it will be dry on Tuesday morning and afternoon with sunny spells across the northern half of Ireland but some cloud around parts of the west, midlands and east. Temperatures will range between 10 to 15C coolest in the south.

It will be dry for most places overnight apart from southern coastal counties where there will be some drizzle or light rain across the west, midlands and east there will be a mixture of cloud and clear spells with more in the way of clear skies across Ulster. Temperatures between 6C to 10C.

WEDNESDAY 6TH MAY 2020

Wednesday will see further showers across Munster, south Connacht and south Leinster with dry elsewhere across Ireland There will be some bright and sunny spells these best across the northern half of Ireland with cloudier weather further south. Temperatures will range between 12 to 18C

THURSDAY 7TH MAY 2020

The latest outlook for Thursday is for heavy thundery showers with the risk of hail and thunderstorms. Highest risk of thunderstorms across the southwest, west and midlands. Temperatures will range between 10 to 17C

FRIDAY 8TH MAY 2020

Friday at present looks like many areas will see spells of bright and sunny weather but there will some showers around also over the day with western and northern areas most at risk with the slight risk of one or two thundery ones. It will be driest across the east and south.

OUTLOOK

Next Saturday looks set to see some bright and sunny spells but some showers also in places. The latest two ECMWF model runs have hinted at a much colder air mass moving down across Ireland around the 10th or 11th of May with the risk of wintry showers of mainly sleet and hail but mainly of rain with the risk of even snow over higher peaks. Temperatures at night would below freezing and day time temperatures in single figure way below average for May.

Kenneth from the Donegal Weather Channel