TRENDS for the week of 24 to 30 Mar 2021
-- Temperatures will average near normal, but briefly quite cold around Friday, also turning colder in stages next week, it should balance out to near the long-term average for late March, but the second week in the outlook period on current guidance would be 3-5 degrees below average (going from 31st to 7th April).
-- Rainfall will gradually begin to pick up and could accumulate enough to reach near average amounts by the end of next weekend, although parts of the east and south are likely to remain relatively dry (50% of average).
-- Sunshine will be rather infrequent and winds will become moderate for several days and occasionally strong around Friday-Saturday.
FORECASTS
TODAY ... A mixture of cloud and sunny breaks for most, increasing cloud by afternoon, passing showers spreading gradually from west to east, relatively mild with highs 12 to 14 C.
TONIGHT ... Mostly cloudy, occasional light rain, lows near 8 C.
THURSDAY ... Increasing cloud, intervals of rain, temperatures steady near 12 C. Turning much cooler in the late afternoon and evening especially in Connacht, west Ulster and parts of west Munster. Winds southwest 50 to 80 km/hr. Temperatures will be falling steadily overnight.
FRIDAY ... Windy and cold with passing showers, some sleety or even wintry on hills in north and west. Winds southwest 50 to 80 km/hr. Lows near 2 C and highs 6 to 9 C.
SATURDAY ... Continued windy, but turning milder in stages, quite mild by afternoon and evening when temperatures will peak at around 14 C (it may be closer to 8-10 C mid-day with the morning low probably not much above freezing; Saturday night looks a lot milder). Winds southwest 70 to 90 km/hr, possibly stronger near exposed Atlantic coasts. Occasional rain but it may only be intermittent or drizzly away from the northwest coasts.
SUNDAY ... Little change now expected except that rain will be less frequent than Saturday, continued windy and mild with temperatures steady 12 to 14 C. Probably cloudy in most areas, but could become brighter at times in parts of the southeast.
MONDAY ... Occasional light rain, temperatures steady near 10 C.
NEXT WEEK ... The models have already kissed and made up, with that disparity I mentioned yesterday gone, just minor details different now -- it certainly looks cold for most of next week and especially cold by the Easter weekend as a slow decline in temperature mid-week turns into more of a plunge to wintry levels by Good Friday (2nd of April) and temperatures quite possibly near freezing much of the time over Easter, which may promote some local wintry falls of snow or sleet. Still time for this to moderate of course, but quite a strong and consistent signal for this lead time.
-- Peter for IWO