IRELAND is to be hotter than Croatia this week as a major thunderstorms spell hits the island.
The Republic will reach highest temperatures of 22C amid humid conditions and a constant “train of rain”.
Weather expert Alan O’Reilly of Carlow Weather warned that weather charts are showing “huge uncertainty” for the days ahead.
He said: “Latest weather models show a risk of some very heavy rain Friday and Saturday but models not in agreement.
“ECMWF brings a constant train of rain over Ireland for 48-72 hours with with some high rainfall totals but GFS keeps a lot of it out West, one to watch.
“Huge uncertainty beyond Thursday but it does look likely to be warmer Friday and Saturday, could just be warmer rain though.
“Latest ECMWF and GFS total rainfall forecast to Saturday night.
“The shift West has become a pattern, good news for many areas but those in the West. Potentially very wet day in the West Thursday.”
Met Eireann meteorologist Paul Downes said that although rain spells and thunderstorms are expected, the country will still experience some sunshine today.
He said: “Right now there’s a good deal of sunshine across the country but showers in the northwest will extend across and become quite frequent through the morning.
“Isolated thunderstorms are possible this afternoon.”
Sunny spells will be mixed with frequent heavy showers that may merge into longer spells of rain at times.
There will be a chance of isolated thunderstorms with very heavy showers locally, especially during the afternoon in the south and east.
Dry intervals will begin to spread from the northwest this afternoon with highs of 14 to 18 degrees, coolest in the northwest.
Tonight, heavy showers in the southeast will clear early leaving light showers to spread from the Atlantic over to the west of the country.
It will remain largely dry with clear spells in the east.
Lowest temperatures of 11 degrees with a few mist patches in places too.
Further showers and spells of sunshine will hit once again tomorrow.
Some showers will turn heavy in the afternoon, however, not as heavy as previous days.
Highest temperatures will reach 18 degrees, coolest in Atlantic coastal areas.
SHOWERS SPREADING
Wednesday night will see a few isolated light showers lingering overnight with a mix of cloud and clear spells.
More persistent rain will edge into the west by morning.
Thursday will be mostly cloudy with a few hazy bright spells in the east in the morning.
Outbreaks of rain in the west will turn heavy and persistent at times, while patchy outbreaks of rain will gradually spread east later in the day.
Maximum temperatures of 19 degrees, warmest in the east.
Overnight, it will be cloudy with outbreaks of rain, heaviest in the west.
On Friday, it will be hotter than Croatia with temperatures reaching 22C.
However, thundery and rainy spells will batter the country especially in the west with drier and brighter conditions in the east.
On Friday night, outbreaks of rain will continue mostly in the south and west with drier clearer conditions to the northeast.
It will be a showery and blustery start to Saturday but drier, brighter conditions and slackening winds will spread from the southwest later in the day.
Highest temperatures of 18 to 22 degrees with unsettled conditions look set to continue into Sunday and the early days of next week.
Source : The Irish Sun
