Get ready for a “mixed bag” of weather conditions over the bank holiday weekend in Ireland. While there will be periods of sunshine, showers and patches of fog will also be present. According to Met Éireann, temperatures will reach the high teens across the long weekend, with a high of 18 degrees forecast in parts of the country. So, plan your journey to avoid traffic jams and check out our 12 last-minute ideas for bank holiday weekend outings.
On Friday, there will be drizzle in some places but sunshine and scattered showers are also expected. Coastal areas may experience dull weather due to lingering cloud, with highs of 14 to 18 degrees to be expected. In the east, showers will linger into the Friday evening as rain from the west spreads overnight, accompanied by fog and mist.
Saturday will see sunshine and showers yet again, with heavy showers expected later in the day. More persistent rain will move in from the Atlantic overnight in the west. That rain will clear eastward across the country on Sunday morning, with cloudy conditions expected across most of the country. Once that rain clears, sunny spells will emerge, but so will widespread and heavy showers. Temperatures of 15 to 18 degrees are expected high, but it will be colder on the west coast.
Monday’s showers are expected to be lighter than earlier in the weekend, and the evening will be mostly dry with highs of 15 to 18 degrees expected. However, windy conditions in the northwest will bring cooler temperatures there.
While we hope for patches of sunnier weather, Water Safety Ireland, the Coast Guard, and the RNLI have warned people to stay away from waterways if consuming alcohol over the long weekend. According to the three organisations, alcohol plays a role in one third of drownings in Ireland. The Coast Guard has warned of the low water temperature despite the improved weather, urging people to exercise caution and wear brightly coloured swimming caps, use tow floats to improve visibility, and never swim alone. The RNLI water safety education manager, Killian O’Kelly, reminds us to plan our route considering sheltered locations, wear a personal flotation device, and have suitable means of contact accessible in case of an emergency.
If you see somebody in trouble on the water or along the coast, or think they are in trouble, dial 112 or use VHF radio CH 16 and ask for the Coast Guard.
