The start of summer? Met Eireann weather u-turn with sun on the horizon

Ireland is in the grips of a miserable weather cycle of wind, rain and even hail, and while that looks like continuing this week, Met Éireann has pinpointed when our weather fortunes will change.

We will welcome some much-needed sun next week with Met Éireann saying "there are indications that there'll be some much needed drier weather during next week, with high pressure expected to play a more dominant role."

Their extended forecast says the week of April 22-28 "will bring higher than average atmospheric pressure over Ireland. This will mean that there should be below average rainfall and above average temperatures."

Between now and then, it looks like the unsettled picture is here to stay although we will enjoy flashes of sunny weather this weekend.

For Wednesday, Met Éireann says it will be "mostly dull and misty with scattered outbreaks of rain and drizzle along with some hill and coastal fog.

"Dry spells will develop at times, the best of which will be in the late morning and afternoon. Mild with highest temperatures of 12 to 16 degrees in moderate to fresh and occasionally gusty southwesterly winds, stronger in coastal parts of the west and south," they added.

Wednesday night will be "cloudy and misty with the more persistent rain and drizzle will clear eastwards early on though some patchy light rain and drizzle will continue, along with some hill and coastal fog. Very mild with temperatures not falling below 10 to 12 degrees with moderate to fresh southwesterly winds gradually easing light to moderate."

The forecast continues to say it will be "mostly dull tomorrow [Thursday] with just the chance of a few bright spells. Mainly dry initially with just a few spots of drizzle before scattered outbreaks of rain and drizzle will move into the southwest through the morning, becoming more widespread through the afternoon and evening. Hill and coastal mist and fog too, most persistent in the south. Very mild day with highest temperatures of 13 to 17 degrees in mostly moderate south to southwesterly winds.

"It'll be mostly cloudy and rather misty on Thursday night with scattered outbreaks of rain and drizzle, most persistent early in the night, when a few heavier bursts are possible, otherwise it will become light and patchy. There'll be some hill and coastal fog too. Another mild night with lowest temperatures of 9 to 11 degrees in mostly light to moderate southerly winds, freshening later in western coastal parts.

"Friday will be mostly cloudy with scattered outbreaks of rain and drizzle, most persistent in the west and north, with the chance of a few heavier bursts. There'll be some hill and coastal mist and fog too, especially in western and southern parts. It'll be drier further to the east, with the chance of a few bright or sunny spells. Highest temperatures of 12 to 16 or 17 degrees, warmest in the east, in moderate to fresh south to southwest winds.

"The rain and drizzle as well as the mist and hill and coastal fog will clear southeastwards on Friday night, with clearer skies following. Some scattered showers will follow too, mainly into the north and west. Turning a little cooler as the rain clears, with lowest temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees in moderate to fresh southwest winds.

"Saturday will be a bright day with a mix of sunshine and showers, some of the showers heavy, especially in the north and northwest, with longer drier spells in the east and south. There's the slight chance of hail in the north. The showers will become isolated later in the day. Cooler than recent days, with highest temperatures of 9 to 13 or 14 degrees and it'll be breezy with moderate to fresh and gusty southwest to west winds, stronger for a time in the west and north, but with the winds easing in the evening.

"Saturday night will be chilly with long clear spells and just a few scattered showers in western parts. Later in the night cloud is likely to increase along the west coast. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 5 degrees in mostly light to moderate southwest breezes, the winds freshening a little along the west coast by dawn,

"After a mostly dry bright start for many on Sunday, cloud and outbreaks of showery rain will gradually spread eastwards across the country, some of it on the heavy side, with the chance of hail. Clearer skies and a scattering of showers will follow later as the rain clears eastwards. Highest temperatures of 9 to 11 degrees and becoming breezy with southwest winds increasing moderate to fresh and gusty, stronger in coastal parts, and veering westerly later in the day.

"There'll be a mix of clear spells and scattered showers on Sunday night. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 6 degrees in moderate to fresh and occasionally gusty westerly winds, strong and gusty in the north and in western parts.

"Another breezy day on Monday and it'll be a bright day with a mix of sunshine and a scattering of showers, the showers mainly across the northern half of the country. Highest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees in moderate to fresh and gusty northwest winds, stronger in the north and west," they conclude.