WEATHER: Sunshine and dry weather to arrive within 24 hours in Derry & Donegal

After what seems like an eternal cycle of windy, rainy and stormy conditions things are finally looking up for Saturday through to Tuesday with three days of very pleasant weather forecast.

After another full day of wet and miserable weather on Thursday, it should be all change for Friday with a good deal of dry weather with some cloud giving way to sunshine in the late afternoon and evening and this sets the pattern for the weekend.

Saturday will also have some bright spells and some cloud over Derry with only a very light breeze and temperatures reaching 12 or 13 degrees.

The Met Office is predicting that Sunday will see temperatures of around 15 degrees Celsius in Derry with a good deal of sunshine early in the morning and into the afternoon, with more dry and settled conditions into next week.

Met Éireann has forecast similar conditions for Donegal over the next few days, with dry, settled and at times very sunny weather for Inishowen for most of the weekend and into next week, with temperatures in the north of the peninsula around Carndonagh reaching a high of 14 degrees on Sunday with bright sunshine into the evening.

The Irish weather body in its national forecast states: “Generally a lot of dry and mild weather in store, apart from patches of light rain or drizzle at times.“Most areas will be dry on Saturday with variable cloud and some sunshine at times. Highest temperatures of 11 to 16 degrees with light variable winds.“Dry with clear spells and light winds. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 5 degrees. A few mist and fog patches in parts too.“Sunday is looking mostly dry with sunshine at times. Highest temperatures of 13 to 17 degrees with light variable or northeasterly winds.“The early days of next week look mainly dry, apart from some patchy light rain or drizzle at times. Cloud cover will vary. Light east or northeasterly breezes are likely with highest temperatures of 11 to 14 or 15 degrees, warmest in the west.”

And there is just one note of caution for gardeners that with dry and sunny conditions by night, temperatures may fall away overnight and there may be a touch of ground frost so if you have seedlings or young plants outside be sure to bring them in by night.