Temperatures could reach 18C for Bank Holiday Monday with only slight chance of showers lingering

Aine Elliott (1) from Glasnevin samples the fragrance of some of the flowers at the Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin today. Photo: Frank McGrath

Laura Lynott

Temperatures could reach up to 18C with sunshine on the cards for Bank Holiday Monday.

Met Éireann has forecast sunny spells for the bank holiday, with temperatures ranging from 13C to 17C. But the mercury could even tip as high as 18C in Co Cork.

There might be a “slight chance of showers lingering” early in the day but aside from this slight hitch, it looks like the bank holiday could be a picnic perfect day.

By tomorrow night the forecaster said temperatures will dip to between 7C and 9C but it is expected to remain dry.

The week ahead is set to be “changeable” overall, with the best of the weather expected early in the week.

Met Éireann forecaster Siobhan Ryan told Independent.ie: “Monday and Tuesday will probably be the two mildest day of week. On Monday, we could see the highest temperature in Cork.

“Even on Wednesday we could get 17C to 18C in the west.”

The sunny south is expected to get warm temperatures also across Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Ms Ryan said this week has finally seen the weather move into the last of “meteorological spring”.

“It’s been a funny spring,” she said. “It started off very wet in March and now it’s cool.

“It’s been very dull and we are hoping things improve for May. The first week is on average, looking at near or slightly below average to be slightly drier.

“Temperatures are normal but the mildest days are earlier in the week and it might slip back later in week to being probably a little less mild.

“It might turn a bit cooler for Thursday and Friday, mildest early in the week. But from here on out, we’re out of the woods of frost.

“But there are different environmental warnings that will come into effect. And a lot of people are concerned about blight for agricultural interests.”

Tuesday morning will see hazy sunshine but it will be dry throughout the day, apart from a chance of “stray patches of drizzle near western coasts later”.

Temperatures could peak at 18C with light winds. But by night time patchy outbreaks of light rain may fall in Munster and Connaught. Tuesday night could see temperatures remaining mild at around 10C.

It will be dull on Wednesday with some patchy light rain, mostly to be found in Connacht and Ulster. Temperatures could fall back to between 11C and 15C.

Thursday will be cloudy with patches of rain and temperatures of up to 15C. Meanwhile Friday looks to be unsettled with heavy, thundery showers.