Hot, sunny weather forecast in lead-up to bank holiday weekend

Most places can expect sunshine and temperatures of up to 26 degrees over the coming days up to and including the bank holiday weekend.

A high of 25 degrees was recorded in Co Tipperary on Wednesday and it is expected to get even hotter on Thursday with the highest temperatures likely to be recorded in parts of Connaught and the Midlands.

Thursday will see the hottest weather but it will still be warm and sunny into the weekend with the exception of Atlantic coasts where rain and scattered showers are expected on Friday night into Saturday morning.

On bank holiday Monday in western parts a few showers are forecast, though the east and midlands should be fine.

The period coinciding with the lockdown has seen generally favourable temperatures, but there has been a conspicuous lack of rain in recent weeks.

Met Éireann forecaster Liz Walsh said some wet weather in the west on Friday and Saturday was the only “fly in the ointment” over the coming days, but rain will be welcomed by many, especially farmers.

“Rain is wanted at this stage. Some gardens are looking very parched at the moment,” she said.

Since the Covid-19 lockdown, seven weather stations have experienced an “absolute drought” which is 15 consecutive days without rain. They are Claremorris, Belmullet, Phoenix Park, Dublin Airport, Newport, Dunsany, Finner Camp and Casement Aerodrome.

Drought-like conditions have been most apparent in Dublin where the Phoenix Park had 42 days from March 18th to April 28th in which just 5.8mm of rain fell.

Very little rain has fallen in this month so far either. Just 9.5mm of rain has fallen to date; the average for May in Dublin is 59.5mm.

There may be the possibility of rain in the east next week with a more unsettled forecast in prospect, but it is too soon to say for certain.

Gardaí intend to launch a roads policing strategy this weekend to coincide with the bank holiday.

There has been an increase in road deaths this year despite the country being in lockdown for the past 10 weeks.

To date 60 people have died on Irish roads in comparison with 55 for the same period last year.

The number of pedestrians who have died has doubled from nine to 18.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Shane Ross said he was “greatly alarmed” by the figures.

He added: “I am appealing to all road users to please take a closer look at how you behave on the road and to take greater responsibility and practise good road safety habits.

“This means drivers being alert to danger and slowing down and pedestrians walking on the right-hand side of the road towards oncoming traffic if there are no footpaths.”