TRENDS -- This will be a generally warm (2-4 deg above normal) and dry week with at least average amounts of sunshine, probably greater than average except in some cloudier coastal areas of the west and north. Winds will be very light.
FORECASTS --
TODAY will be sunny and warm in most areas, and where cloud is prevalent at first, that may begin to burn off by mid-morning to leave hazy and partly cloudy to sunny skies. Highs 22 to 25 C, with a few coastal areas perhaps closer to 20 C. There is always a slight chance of localized shower activity near sea breeze boundaries inland.
TONIGHT will have clear intervals, followed by some low cloud, mist or fog in a few places, notably near west and north coasts. Lows 8 to 12 C.
From TUESDAY into next WEEKEND (28th-29th) this pattern will see little change for most of Ireland. There will be slight variations between easterly and northerly breezes that could change the details for parts of the north mainly, as northerly breezes would tend to extend the marine influence near the north coast into parts of Ulster. These variations are going to be rather small and subtle. The general theme is a warm and dry week with at least reasonably good sunshine, if not quite up to the standards of the July warm spell with its many cloudless days. Highs through the week are likely to be similar each day at various locations, the highest readings will probably be in the midlands and inland west or even right out to the west coast at times, with 27 C probably about the peak we might expect (but can't rule out one or two higher readings). Large parts of the east and south will have a slight marine influence and may top out around 23 or 24 C. The seas are not all that cold at this late stage of summer so that sea breeze cooling is less of an issue than it would be in a similar spell in May or June. Nights will be rather warm except towards sunrise when overnight lows of 8 to 12 C will be recorded, so there will be some relief from daytime warmth available but it may be somewhat slow to materialize during some of the nights especially in urban areas that take longer to cool down. The shower factor remains quite low in general and some days will not record any at all.
So that's the picture through to about Monday 30th when the warm spell may slowly begin to disappear as a slight northerly flow establishes and perhaps becomes stronger by mid-week (Wed 1st of September), dropping temperatures down considerably into the 15-18 C range. The current guidance suggests the warmer air may return after a few days of this cooler weather, although perhaps with more cloud limiting highs to the low 20s in that instance.
Peter for IWO