TRENDS for the week of 24 Feb to 2 Mar 2021 --
-- Temperatures will average near normal values (which at this point are around 10-11 C daytimes, 3-4 C overnight).
-- Rainfall will average about 50% of normal, and most of that will be
today and tomorrow with a welcome dry spell looming for the rest of this
seven day interval (not totally dry in the west where small amounts
could fall on a couple of days).
-- Sunshine will be at least normal and possibly as much as 50% above in
some places, away from what may be cloudier south coast counties.
FORECASTS
TONIGHT will see partial clearing and lows 2 to 5 C. There may still be isolated outbreaks of light rain in a few spots.
THURSDAY will be breezy and somewhat colder with highs 8-10 C. A few
passing showers are likely in most places and they may be locally and
briefly heavy in the west to central counties. Winds westerly 40 to 70
km/hr.
FRIDAY will become much less breezy and it should be a pleasant day with
near average temperatures of 2-4 C in the morning and 8-11 C in the
afternoon. Some sunshine is likely but a very weak front will be dying
out near the west coast by afternoon and could bring at least full cloud
cover for a time if not a bit of drizzly light rain.
SATURDAY and SUNDAY look settled and partly cloudy, highs both days near
10 C after morning slight frosts in some areas, and more sunshine is
likely further north as a weak southeast breeze may be bringing in cloud
layers from the Celtic Sea originating from a weak disturbance embedded
in the high pressure area over northwest France. That weak system may
eventually drift up over west Munster by Monday with local showers,
otherwise this high should hold on to control of the weather pattern for
a few days into March before a more variable pattern emerges. Some
guidance is back to showing a cold outbreak towards the second week of
March, what I take from that is that very warm weather is probably not
the most likely next step after the high, would bet that it stays fairly
bland and near normal for a while as the flow over North America is
somewhat neutral in terms of firing up the jet stream.
Peter O'DOnnell for IWO