BANK HOLIDAY WEATHER: Kilkenny braced for mix of heavy rain, sunshine and possible thunderstorms

Kilkenny and the rest of the country is in for a pretty miserable May Bank Holiday weekend, according to Met Éireann.

The country was basked in glorious sunshine over the last few weeks as temperatures began to soar.

But weather experts have warned that the usual hot weather that normally arrives on the May Bank Holiday is nowhere to be seen this year with horrid conditions expected.

The national forecaster warned a spate of wet and windy weather will arrive on Irish shores with thundery showers expected in parts of the country – and there could even be some hail showers as temperatures drop to as low as -1C.

Today will start off dry with plenty of sunshine, but showers will develop in the afternoon, becoming most widespread across the southern half of the country through the day. Met Éireann said: “Some showers will be heavy with risks of hail and isolated thunderstorms. Highest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees in light to moderate northeast or variable breezes.”

Mist and fog will tomorrow morning and it will be mainly dry to begin with sunshine. Once again cloud will increase with scattered showers developing, though they won’t be quite as heavy or as widespread as the previous couple of days. The national forecaster added: “It looks like parts of the west and northwest will be mainly dry with sunshine, with more in the way of showers in Leinster, Munster and east Ulster. Highest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees in light to moderate northerly or variable breezes.”

Sunday will bring a mix of cloud and sunshine, though with cloud generally increasing through the day. Met Éireann said there will be “a scattering of showers”,  most widespread in parts of the north and northwest, with highest temperatures again of just 9 to 12 degrees.

Bank Holiday Monday will be a wet and windy day. Met Éireann said: “Persistent and at times heavy rain will become widespread through the morning and early afternoon, with some bright or sunny spells following, but with showers or further longer spells of rain. There’s a risk of some thundery bursts. Highest temperatures of 9 to 13 degrees with fresh to strong and gusty southeast winds, with gales in some coastal parts, becoming slack and variable for a time in some parts as the area of low pressure tracks eastwards over the country. Winds will veer around to a northwest direction later, fresh to strong and gusty.”

There’s better news in store for Tuesday, which is forecast to be a much drier day with some sunshine, a “scattering of showers” and highest temperatures of 9 to 13 degrees.

Met Éireann said the unsettled weather will continue into next week, with rain or showers at times, adding: “Some drier interludes too with sunshine. Temperatures will probably recover a little by day, but some cold nights are still likely.”