Deirdre O Meara 
Weather experts have warned that Ireland may experience its first storm of the season in the middle of next week. According to Weather Alerts Ireland, a system developing in the Atlantic could bring a “risk of a storm” to the country. The ECMWF, UKMO, and the ICON models have all predicted that the system will impact Ireland next Tuesday into Wednesday. Alan O’Reilly from Carlow Weather also shared photos of some concerning weather models for Ireland next week, with a low system looking likely to form and hit next Tuesday. However, the track and details are still uncertain as the models are constantly changing.
Meanwhile, the Gardaí have recovered 16 puppies in a massive raid in Dublin, leading to the arrest of three men. The puppies, believed to be illegally imported, were found in poor conditions in a van. They were taken to a veterinary clinic for examination and treatment. The three men have been charged with animal cruelty and other related offenses.
Met Eireann has also warned of a miserable forecast for the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, with plenty of rain on the way. Tonight will be dry and quite cold, with some patches of mist and fog. The lowest temperatures will be around 2 or 3 degrees. Tomorrow will be largely dry with hazy spells of sunshine and the highest temperatures of 11 to 13 degrees. However, the national outlook predicts a different story for the rest of the weekend.
On Friday night, there will be a dry start with clear spells, but the cloud will thicken from the west overnight with outbreaks of rain and drizzle developing in western and southwestern counties towards morning. The lowest temperatures will be between 4 to 9 degrees, coldest in the northeast, in light to moderate southeasterly winds.
Saturday will be generally cloudy and wet with outbreaks of rain spreading eastwards across the country. The rain will be most persistent in the west and southwest, with some dry spells in the east and northeast. The highest temperatures will range from 9 to 13 degrees in light to moderate southeasterly winds. Saturday night will be cloudy with lingering patches of rain and drizzle, with lowest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees in light to moderate southeasterly winds.
Easter Sunday will be a dull day with patchy rain and drizzle in the morning. More persistent rain will push into western areas by afternoon, spreading eastwards across the country through the day. The highest temperatures will range from 10 to 13 degrees in moderate to fresh southerly winds.
In conclusion, Ireland may experience its first storm of the season in the middle of next week due to a system developing in the Atlantic. The Gardaí have also recovered 16 puppies in a massive raid in Dublin, leading to the arrest of three men. The Easter Bank Holiday weekend will be mostly wet and cloudy, with outbreaks of rain spreading eastwards across the country.
