Here comes the sun – temperatures above 20C forecast this week as summer set to arrive

Following a weekend of sunshine across the country, the warmer conditions are expected to continue over the coming days.

While scattered showers and patches of mist and fog will usher in the bank holiday Monday, some sunny spells will develop as it becomes drier throughout the day.

Highest temperatures of 12-17C are expected today before dropping between six and nine degrees overnight.

Temperatures will remain in the mid-to-high teens throughout the week, though nights will be cooler.

Tomorrow will be bright and dry as a mix of cloud and spells of hazy sunshine move across the country.

“We have an area of high pressure drifting over the country and that’s going to stay with us through Tuesday and into Thursday. There will only be a little bit of rain for the more northern part of the country on Wednesday,” said Met Éireann meteorologist Mark Bowe.

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“For the majority of this week, it will actually be dry and pleasant with just the odd spot of rain perhaps on Wednesday. With the settled conditions and at this time of year, our temperatures should start to increase as well.

“We might even break a 20-degree temperature by Thursday. It will certainly be more settled and a little bit calmer with some light wind and some cloud at times. But there will be plenty of good sunny spells throughout the week with those temperatures of 18, 19 and possibly even 20 degrees at times.”

High pressure will build throughout this week, bringing more settled conditions than in recent weeks and higher temperatures.

It will remain breezy until Wednesday, due to a light to moderate south to southwest wind.

Met Éireann forecasts a bright and largely dry day on Wednesday, though some outbreaks of rain and drizzle in the west threaten to break the streak of sunshine midweek.

However, warmer conditions will remain with temperatures remaining between 13 and 18 degrees.

Rain and drizzle will be confined to Ulster on Wednesday night as skies clear into Thursday, when some isolated showers are expected in the north.

Temperatures will rise further on Thursday to hit highs of 15-20 degrees. Further sunshine is expected on Friday and into the weekend, when daytime temperatures are expected to reach highs in the low 20s.