After what has been a another very dry period of weather with little rain or if you are over the northern half of Ireland no rain this will change on Thursday with the risk of heavy showers developing over the day.

Temperatures on Thursday will range between 16C to 20C and it will be warmest in the west and northwest of Ireland. There will be some bright and sunny spells on Thursday and it will feel warm in any sunshine but there will also be heavy pulses of rain also over the afternoon.

Later Thursday morning and over the afternoon showers will push northwards across Ireland with the risk of these becoming very heavy at times especially across Ulster where there will be the risk of thunderstorms over the afternoon with sudden heavy falls of rain with some hail also possible.

Some of these convective showers could turn into thunderstorms as the push northward over Ulster. Below these showers can be seen on the charts.

Meanwhile Friday will be another warm day with temperatures again between 16C to 20C warmest in the south and west. There will be some showers over the day heaviest across Ulster again with the slight risk of thunder.

It will start of cloudy for many with the best of any bright or sunny spell across the east and south but becoming dry in most areas later in the evening and overnight with clearer weather developing.

Saturday will be another day with showers but it will be warm also with some bright and sunny spells these best in the east and south with highs of 20C and lows of 13C warmest in the south, west and midlands

Turning much colder on Sunday and early next with below average temperatures and frosty night with cold Arctic air.