WEATHER: A fine and beautiful sunny weekend in store for Derry & Donegal

The sun has already put in an appearance this morning with clear blue skies over the north west and temperatures set to rise to 14-15 degrees Celsius today.

Temperatures will reach their maximum by around 4pm today but it will stay relatively mild into the night.

Tomorrow (Saturday) is forecast to be a similar day with not a drop of rain in sight with maximum temperatures of around 13 degrees, although winds may pick up along the coast for a time.

And it’s again a dry and sunny picture for Sunday and right into next week, bringing some welcome respite from the succession of storms and wet and windy weather which has battered the north west over recent months.

If you have been itching to get out and about or get some gardening done this will be the time to do it.

The Met Office states: “Dry with plentiful brightness appearing away from the east coast.

“Today: Dry for all with good bright and sunny spells for the majority, most readily appearing through the morning. Temperatures respectable for early spring inland. Maximum temperature 14 °C.

“Saturday: A fine dry day with prolonged sunshine. Fresh south to southeast winds strong around the coast. Maximum temperature 16 °C.

“Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday: Sunday dry with plenty of sunshine, but temperatures down from Saturday. Continuing dry for Monday, but turning a touch cloudier. Settled for Tuesday.”

Met Eireann similarly states: “Any early morning mist and frost will clear over the next few hours. Dry and sunny for the main with top temperatures of 10 to 15 degrees, best values across central and western areas. Southeast winds will be mostly moderate in strength, a little fresher though near coasts.

“Staying dry tonight with long clear spells. Lowest temperatures of 0 to 6 degrees, with some frost, mainly for sheltered inland areas. Some mist or fog possible also, in mostly moderate southeast breezes

“Dry and sunny across most areas again tomorrow Saturday, but breezy too in moderate to fresh southeast winds. Top temperature will range 13 to 16 degrees, best values in the west.”