Weekend of balmy barbecue bliss

DUST off those barbecues as we’re set for a warm weekend, with Met Éireann predicting plenty of sun.

Temperatures should reach highs of 20C with good spells of sunshine.

The midlands and the west will have the best weather, with highest temperatures in these areas.

Today sees patches of fog clearing in the morning, with some sunny intervals developing around the afternoon, and high temperatures reaching 16C to 19C with light winds. There will be long clear spells tonight with a few fog patches forming along with light breezes. An isolated shower may drift in from the Irish Sea to affect some eastern counties.

Tomorrow will see long spells of warm sunshine throughout the day.

Maximum temperatures will be 17C to 20C with the coasts being cooler as sea breezes develop. It’ll be mostly dry tomorrow night with lowest temperatures of 9 to 12C. However, rain will develop in the southwest before dawn on Monday.

A Met Éireann forecaster said: ‘Rain in the southwest will extend northwards on Monday, turning heavy in places with thundery downpours. Another spell of rain will push up from the south at night. Lowest temperatures of 9C to 12C in fresh to strong southeast winds. Tuesday will be a wet day with outbreaks of rain pushing up from the south. The rain will reach all areas of the country with blustery southerly winds.’