Ireland weather: Expert warns of festive ‘hot flush’ as warmest ever Christmas in sight
by Conor Heneghan · Irish MirrorHopes of a White Christmas in Ireland this year look set to be dashed as the big day approaches, but it looks like we may experience an extreme at the other end of the weather spectrum.
Temperatures in the middle of next week look set to reach double figures and could even threaten the record for the warmest ever Christmas recorded in Ireland, which is understood to be the 13.7C recorded at Dublin’s Phoenix Park way back in 1974.
Indeed, weather guru Alan O’Reilly of Carlow Weather has predicted that Christmas Eve and Christmas Day could be like a “hot flush”, due to the mild weather forecast, with weather maps - notoriously subject to change beyond the short-term - showing parts of the country hovering close to 13 degrees on Christmas Day.
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Eight days out, Met Éireann is yet to confirm its forecast for Christmas Day, but its extended range forecast does follow the trend for milder weather, stating that “mean air temperatures are forecast to trend slightly above the monthly norm” in the week from 23-29 December.
While a White Christmas looks incredibly unlikely at this stage, there does appear to be the possibility of snow falling before then, with “wintry showers” forecast for Atlantic coastal counties on Wednesday night and Thursday, as well as the possibility of hail and sleet in Ulster on Sunday.
Those wintry showers aside, we’re in for “changeable and often unsettled” conditions in the coming days, with plenty of wind and rain between now and the weekend.
Thursday and Sunday look set to be particularly “cold and blustery” with temperatures dropping to as low as 2 degrees, with northern counties set to feel the chilliest blasts as the mildest conditions prevail in Munster counties.
Check out the Met Éireann forecast for the coming days below.
Tuesday
Becoming rather windy today with outbreaks of rain and drizzle spreading across the country. The rain most persistent in the south and west. Highest afternoon temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees in fresh to strong southerly winds with gales at the coast. Further outbreaks of rain overnight but a clearance to scattered showers will follow from the west by dawn on Wednesday. Lowest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees with strong southerly winds, veering westerly overnight.
Wednesday
Sunny spells in many areas on Wednesday morning with just a few showers. However, it will become cloudy in most areas in the afternoon with rain developing across the southern half of the country. Plenty of dry weather in northern areas with just passing showers. Highest temperatures generally ranging from 7 to 11 degrees with moderate westerly winds.
Rain will clear from southern and southeastern areas early on Wednesday night with clearer and colder conditions extending from the northwest. Showers will follow into Atlantic coastal counties overnight, some turning wintry. Lowest temperatures generally ranging from 1 to 5 degrees in fresh northwest winds.
Thursday
Cold and blustery on Thursday with sunshine and scattered showers, some wintry over the northern half of the country in the morning. The showers will become confined to Atlantic coastal areas during the afternoon. Highest temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees in fresh and gusty northwest winds.
Rather cold on Thursday night with a touch of frost possible in the east. Turning cloudier from the west overnight with outbreaks of rain developing in Atlantic coastal counties by dawn on Friday. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 7 degrees, coldest in the east, in moderate westerly winds.
Friday
A band of rain will push eastwards across Ireland on Friday morning with a mix of sunshine and scattered showers following for the afternoon. Maximum temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees in fresh westerly winds, strong along the Atlantic seaboard. Breezy on Friday night with showery outbreaks of rain moving in from the Atlantic during the night. Lowest temperatures of 4 to 8 degrees in fresh southwest winds.
Saturday
Windy on Saturday with sunny spells and scattered showers, some of hail in the north. Maximum afternoon temperatures of 7 to 11 degrees with strong and gusty westerly winds. Cold and blustery on Saturday night with clear spells and scattered showers, some of the showers wintry in Ulster. Lowest temperatures ranging from 2 to 6 degrees in fresh to strong west to northwest winds with gales along the Atlantic seaboard.
Sunday
Early indications suggest it will be cold and breezy on Sunday with sunshine and passing showers, some of hail or sleet in Ulster. Maximum temperatures of 4 to 9 degrees, coldest in Ulster and mildest in Munster.
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