WEEKEND WEATHER: Sunny spells to continue, but Kilkenny can look forward to cooler nights ahead

For those of you struggling to sleep over the last few nights, there’s some welcome news: Met Éireann has said the sweltering heat wave conditions are set to cool in the coming days.

But despite the drop in temperatures, Kilkenny and the rest of the country can still look forward to warm summer weather and clear blue skies over the weekend.

Met Éireann said today will be a very warm or hot day with sunny spells, adding: “Most of the country will have another dry day but there is a risk of a few thunderstorms breaking out over the southern half of the country during the afternoon. Highest temperatures generally of 26 to 29 degrees. Less hot in east Leinster and south Munster with highs of 23 to 25 degrees due to a moderate easterly breeze.”

This evening will see a break in the weather, but some welcome showers cooling the hot Mediteranean nights we’ve endured over the past week. However Met Éireann said the showers will “die away early in the night becoming dry with a mix of cloud and clear spells”.

We can look forward to more hazy sunny spells for most of tomorrow. However, the best of the sunshine is forecast for the west, with conditions a little cloudier in eastern coastal counties.

Met Éireann said: “Some isolated showers may develop in Connacht and Munster through the evening. Slightly cooler than recent days with highs of 20 to 26 degrees generally, possibly higher locally in the west but slightly cooler along the east coast in a light to moderate northeasterly breeze.”

More sunny spells are forecast for Sunday, although some scattered showers are set to develop in the afternoon. The national forecaster said: “Staying quite warm too with highest temperatures of 22 to 26 degrees, but feeling a little more refreshing in light to moderate northerly breezes. Largely dry and clear overnight however showers will move onto northwestern coasts towards dawn. A mild night with temperatures generally holding above 14 degrees.”

Met Éireann said Monday will be “fresher overall with sunny spells and further showers”, but these will be more widespread across the western half of the country. It added: “Cooler, with highest temperatures of 18 to 23 degrees, coolest in north Ulster and along coasts and exposed coasts in light to moderate northwesterly breezes.”

The forecaster said the further outlook is for “rather changeable” weather with a mix of showers and dry spells. Temperatures are also set to drop, with highs in the high teens, and we can look forward to some cooler nights next week too.