Anticipating a Weekend Weather Shift in Northern Ireland

Warm weather is set to bring highs of 21°C to parts of Northern Ireland on Friday as the fire service continues to warn of wildfires across the country. It comes as firefighters continue to battle major blazes inNorthern Ireland, including inthe Mournesand Belfast Hills. TheFire Servicehas also issued10 pieces of adviceto help stop the spread of wildfires this weekend.

Heatwave Continues
Thursday was officially the warmest day of the year so far, as temperatures hit 22°C degrees in Castlederg inCo Tyroneand there were blue skies galore across NI with not a cloud in sight. That's 10°C above the average temperature for April and even warmer than the typical averages for our warmest months - July (18.6°C) and August (18.3°C). Dan Stroud, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “The average for this time of year is around 13C, so it’s going to be about 10C above average on Friday. “We’ve got high pressure at the moment which effectively acts like a force field. It actually keeps fronts and clouds largely at bay and keeps conditions settled and dry underneath the area of high pressure.”

Shift in Weather
But while we might have sunshine now, sadly change in the form of rain is on the way this weekend as April showers and more unsettledweatherconditions are forecast. So if you're heading out and about this weekend to enjoy the last of the fine weather, here's what to expect: This morning will be dry with plenty of sunshine. Remaining dry this afternoon with unbroken sunshine. Another very warm day. Onshore breezes developing along the coast this afternoon. Maximum temperature 21°C. This evening will be dry with some late sunshine. Then the rest of the night will remain dry with clear skies. Becoming chilly in some rural areas. Minimum temperature 5°C. Dry with some sunshine in the morning. Dry in the afternoon but thickening cloud may bring a few showers in the evening. Somewhat cooler than of late. Maximum temperature 16°C. A colder few days with sunny intervals and scattered showers, occasionally heavy with hail. Fewer showers on Tuesday. Much more mixedweatherconditions than of late, with low pressure systems and their associated areas of rain and showers often affecting the UK. The rain is likely to be heavy at times, and the showers, most frequently affecting western areas, will also be heavy and blustery in places, with isolated small hail and thunder. There will also be some brighter, drier spells in between rain and showers, although probably large amounts of cloud too, with limited sunshine. Unsettled, wet, and occasionally windy conditions are most likely during the first few days of this period; beyond this, and certainly into the following week, there is an increasing chance that cooler, northerly winds could develop, followed by a less unsettled spell. Temperatures mostly around average for the time of year.

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