Bright today but heavens may open up tomorrow

IT would have been asking too much of the weather gods to hope for sun on both days of the Pope’s visit – but a compromise seems to have been arrived at...

The sun is set to come out for much of Francis’s first day of in Ireland – however rain is forecast to fall overnight ahead of his second day tomorrow when he visits Knock and Dublin’s Phoenix Park.

As a result, people attending these two venues have been advised to wear their wet gear and wellies.

Although the weather will remain somewhat changeable today, only small scattered showers are expected in the morning and again in the afternoon.

However, the skies are expected to be generally clear and the sun is set to shine as the Pope travels throughout Dublin city for meetings with President Michael D Higgins, Government officials and others, culminating in a celebration in Croke Park, which begins at 7.45pm.

‘Saturday overall will be quite a good day,’ said Met Éireann forecaster Gerry Murphy. ‘It will be nice and bright, good sunshine in Dublin.

‘There will be the risk of a few showers in the late morning, and for a time in the afternoon, but there will be very few.

‘So overall, there will be a fair amount of dry weather then, and all in all quite a good day.

‘By the time the event in Croke Park occurs, it will be a nice evening.’

But after this evening, the Irish weather looks set to live up to its reputation, as rain is expected throughout the night, leaving the ground wet as people from around the country and the world travel to Knock and the Phoenix Park.

‘Now it’s a different situation then for Sunday,’ said Mr Murphy.

‘On Saturday night, rain arrives in the West, and crosses the country overnight and Sunday morning.

‘This means it’s going to start off wet right across the country.

‘The rain will clear from the West in the morning, so while people arrive to Knock it will be wet. But by the time the Pope arrives, the rain may well have stopped.

‘While people are making their way there, it will be wet underfoot... the rain may – although it’s hard to say at this juncture – finish by the time the Pope arrives.’

Weather conditions look set to be similar in Dublin, as the faithful make the journey from around the country to the Phoenix Park for Mass at 3pm.

‘It’s going to be a wet morning in Dublin, but then it’s going to brighten up during the afternoon,’ said Mr Murphy.

‘So again, as people are travelling to Dublin, they may experience rain and it will be wet underfoot, but it will be dry by the time the mass takes place.’

All those out and about are advised to bring suitable rain gear and footwear with them as they make their way to Dublin or Knock on Sunday.

Following Pope Francis’s visit, our weather conditions are expected to remain changeable once again.

On Monday, sunshine with scattered showers is expected, particularly in northern areas.

Tuesday is expected to be sunny, with rain falling once again on Tuesday night.