**Some summer sunshine and warmer temperatures expected this weekend**

Ireland is finally set to see a taste of summer weather this weekend and on Monday next week with temperatures set to rise into the mid 20s. All areas will see sunshine at times with the warmest days over the coming days been Sunday and Monday next week.

The reason for the warmer air is down to and Azores high pressure system which we first forecast early last week on in or long range forecast.

This week gradually seen a Azores high pressure system drift northwards towards Ireland and will sit across the country this weekend. As that high pressure drifts to the east on Sunday and Monday it will bring a rise in temperatures as the now north-westerly airflow will be replaced with a southerly airflow.

Saturday

Saturday morning will start of with a lot of cloud around for many but some sunny spells for southern and eastern coastal counties. There will be a slight risk of some patches of drizzle along some north-western coastal counties in the morning to start.

During the afternoon cloud will start to break up for much of the country with sunny spells developing and much of the country receiving good sunny spell later tomorrow afternoon and evening. Sunshine may be a littler more hazy across the north-western counties on Saturday with some cloud still handing around there.

**Cloud forecast Saturday afternoon and evening**

Saturdays temperature forecast

Temperatures on Saturday will range between 15C to 19C in parts of the northwest and western coastal areas 19C to 24C elsewhere warmest across Munster and South Leinster.

Sunday

Sunday will see some cloud early on in the morning but later in the morning this will clear with some nice sunshine nationwide for the afternoon with this time the northwest looking like it will see the best of this sunshine.

Sundays temperature forecast

Sunday will see temperatures starting to peak with temperatures possibly rising as high as 26C to 27C locally in parts of the west, midlands and northwest. Temperatures will range between 19C to 25C but possibly rising as high as 26C to 27C as mentioned above

Monday

Monday will start with good sunshine across the country but over the west and north of the country this may be more hazy during the later afternoon and evening with the best of the sunshine across the south and east of the country. Cloudy will increase overnight with rain moving in after midnight from the northwest.

Mondays temperature forecast

Monday will be another warm day across Ireland it will also be humid. Temperatures will range between 20C to 26C possibly reaching 27C in parts of the midlands and east.

OUTLOOK

Rain is currently showing it will move into the northwest on Monday night and moving down across Ireland on Tuesday morning. This will clear the northwest later Tuesday morning and most areas by the middle of Tuesday afternoon with bright and sunny spells developing these best in the northwest with cloudier sky possible across eastern and southern areas until Tuesday night. At moment Wednesday looks like it will see a mix of scattered showers and sunny spells most of the showers in the morning and early afternoon and dying out later with the northwest most at risk. At the moment the latest forecast for Thursday and Friday is for the risk of some showers in some north-western and northern areas and drier elsewhere before higher pressure try to rebuild again later next weekend again. There is some uncertainty on this at the moment so stay turned to the National and Donegal forecast outlooks over the coming days.