Thunderstorm warning but good weather to continue after drought and driest spell since 2018

The warning is active until 9pm with meteorologists warning of the potential for heavy rainfall and some spot flooding.

The overall forecast is that it will be bright and very warm with a few afternoon showers and temperatures rising to 24°.

The outlook for the rest of the week remains bright with sunshine and temperatures in the mid 20s albeit with the potential for some thunder on Thursday and Friday.

The forecast follows the first rainfall in Derry and Donegal in over a week at the weekend.

Met Éireann has reported how an area of high pressure situated over the country since the middle of May had kept the North Atlantic jet stream and low pressure areas away from Ireland and that this had resulted in ‘absolute drought’ at 24 out of 25 of its principle weather stations between May 15 and June 6.

An ‘absolute drought’ is a period of 15 or more consecutive days with daily precipitation of less than 0.2milimetres.

Among the stations recording this was Finner at Bundoran in Co. Donegal.

‘Absolute drought’ was not recorded at Malin Head but the Met Éireann’s north Inishowen station did report a prolonged dry spell – a period of 15 or more consecutive days with daily precipitation of less than 1.0mm – between May 12 and June 6.

"Such widespread dry periods have not occurred in Ireland since the summer of 2018,” according to Met Éireann.

The rain at the weekend came as an area of low pressure encroached on Ireland from the south west.

Atlantic charts are currently indicating that further areas of low pressure are likely to track east during the course of the week.

The Met Office is predicting mainly dry and settled weather with sunny spells and temperatures on the warm side towards the end of the week with the possibility of more showers on Friday.

Met Éireann is giving a similar picture with humid and warm weather with showers likely to continue over the weekend, although possibly turning cloudier.

Grey seals caught sunbathing on the Foyle during Derry's sunny weather