Ireland is on high alert for thunderstorms today before the weather takes a dramatic turn.
Met Eireann has warned that heavy showers with thunder and hail will strike some areas on Sunday afternoon.
East Leinster and Ulster are most at risk from the severe weather with a risk of flooding.
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Meanwhile, temperatures will reach as high as 17C today before the weather turns substantially milder than recent weeks.
Talking about today’s weather, the national forecaster said: “Sunday morning any mist, fog and low cloud will quickly clear to leave sunny spells and scattered showers. Some of the showers will turn heavy or possibly thundery by early afternoon, mainly in east Leinster and Ulster, bringing with them the risk of surface water flooding and a slight risk of hail. Highest temperatures of 13C to 17C, coolest along Atlantic coasts as southwest winds veer westerly and increase moderate to occasionally fresh.
"Showers will continue overnight but they will be lighter and mixed with clear spells. Lowest temperatures of 7C to 10C in mostly moderate west to northwest winds.”
Miserable and wet conditions are forecast to give way to mostly settled and warm weather from bank holiday Monday.
Met Eireann has ruled out a ‘mini heatwave’ but has confirmed there will be “a lot of dry and mild weather next week”.
It said: “Mean air temperatures will be above average for early May by 2C or 3C with frost free conditions expected too. Overall next week it will likely be drier than normal for most if not all areas.”
The meteorological service said mildest conditions are expected towards the start of next week, with temperatures possibly treading backwards towards next weekend.
Giving a day-by-day breakdown, it continued: “Early morning showers will mostly die away Monday quickly leaving a generally dry day with a mix of cloud and hazy sunny spells. Highest temperatures of around 13C to 17C generally for most in light to moderate northwest winds, cooler and a little breezier near exposed coasts in the north and northwest.
“Mostly dry Monday night with clear spells, some mist and fog will form as winds fall light variable or calm. It will be a chiller night with lows of 2C to 6C for the northern half of the country, generally holding between 7C and 9C further south.
“Hazy sunshine in the morning Tuesday however cloud will increase from the southwest through the afternoon. Dry in most areas with just the chance of a few stray patches of drizzle near western coasts later. Mild with highs of 14C to 18C, in mostly light south to southeast winds.
“Mostly cloudy overnight Tuesday with some patchy outbreaks of light rain and drizzle in Munster and Connacht. It will be a milder night once again with lowest temperatures of 7C to 10C in light to moderate southeast winds.
“Quite dull on Wednesday with some patchy light rain or drizzle mostly in Connacht and Ulster. Temperatures dropping back to between 11C to 15C, coolest along eastern coasts in moderate to occasionally fresh southeast winds.
“It will remain cloudy Wednesday night and most areas will have a dry night, there will however be the chance of some patchy rain of drizzle in the southwest. Lowest temperatures of 6C to 9C in moderate southeast winds.
“A mostly cloudy day Thursday with southeasterly winds freshening as patchy outbreaks of rain and drizzle spread from the south through the afternoon and evening. Highest temperatures of 10C to 15C, mildest in Connacht.
“Friday and the weekend look a little more unsettled with some heavy thundery showers or longer spells of rain at times while temperatures will generally be near average for the time of year.”
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