Irish weather: 'Generally unsettled' conditions forecast to continue ...

The less than ideal summer weather looks set to continue into next week with “generally unsettled” conditions forecast for this weekend and into next week.

Although May was the warmest on record, summer sun and heat have been lacking so far this year. Keith Lambkin, head of the Climate Services Division at Met Éireann, said the weather so far this summer has been “no surprise”. He said it has been largely dictated by the jet stream which separates warm air from the equator and cold air from the poles.

“If that jet stream is above Ireland, it allows that warm Mediterranean air to move up and influence Ireland and when it moves below Ireland, we’re typically more influenced by that cold air,” he said.

The jet stream has been below Ireland for several weeks, he said, allowing cold air and “rainy systems” to come through, a stark contrast to mainland Europe which is currently seeing “incredible heat” as it is placed below the jet stream.

Noting that June of last year was the warmest on record, while last month was on the cooler side, Mr Lambkin said the world is getting warmer but “it doesn’t necessarily mean every month is going to be warmer than the previous month or year at a local level”.

Although to be taken with a grain of salt, conditions may improve before the summer is out, with longer-term projections for August forecasting drier than average conditions with temperatures slightly above average. However, the trend of unsettled weather is set to continue in the immediate future.

While daytime temperatures on Friday will range from about 16 to 22 degrees, rain is forecast to be widespread that night, “turning heavy at times”, according to Met Éireann. Saturday looks set to be worse with rain, which will be heavy at times possibly causing spot flooding, forecast to be widespread. This will gradually clear and there may be some sunny spells and temperatures of 15 to 20 degrees, showers will return later.

Sunday, meanwhile, will start off dry but rain beginning in the west will spread to all areas through the afternoon and evening while temperatures will dip slightly to between 15 and 19 degrees. Monday will see scattered showers and Tuesday looks set to be mainly dry with sunny spells are forecast.

“However, more rain is expected to move in from the west on Wednesday,” Met Éireann says.

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