Put that T-shirt away, the summer could already be over

Only in Ireland. First the unending dry spell and the gorse fires, now the risk of flooding.

Just as the weekend approaches the rain came down last night and this morning bring to a close a sustained period of tee-shirt weather and talk of barbecues.

Forecasters say Friday will continue rather misty and heavy with temperatures of between 15 and 18 degrees Celsius and with a risk of rain, including thurndery downpours.

There will be outbreaks of rain, still locally heavy at first, will gradually retreat northeastwards overnight. It will become mainly dry over Munster with clear spells developing. Minima will range 6 to 9 degrees. Light to moderate southwest to south winds developing by dawn, freshening along the west Munster coast.

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Saturday will start dry and bright in many places, according to Met Éireann with some sunshine, but there will still be some "lingering rain" about Ulster and north Leinster.

“Another band of rain, with some heavier bursts on it, will arrive on the west Munster coast around mid-morning, tracking northeastwards over the country during the afternoon and evening, followed by scattered showers,” the forecaster said, adding that temperatures would reach 17 degrees.

It said the outlook was mixed “with the potential for some high rainfall accumulations over the next few days, bringing a risk of localised flooding.”

On Sunday it will turn cloudy and with rain quickly spreading northeastwards over Munster and Connacht by sundown. Sunday night will be wet and windy, with rain spreading countrywide. It will be persistent and heavy in places with the potential for some flooding

Monday is also expected to start wet and windy, according to forecasters.