Deirdre O Meara 
After a few days of bad weather and freezing temperatures, Ireland is set to experience the hottest day of the year so far. Storm Noa caused huge disruptions yesterday with strong winds and heavy rain, and some parts of the country even experienced snow. However, there is good news as this weekend is set to be a scorcher with temperatures reaching up to 19 degrees in some places.
According to independent forecasting page Weather Alerts Ireland, high pressure is looking likely to push over Ireland, and warmer air is set to arrive too. The highest temperatures are expected on Sunday, with a lot of sunshine and dry weather forecast. Dubliners will wake up to a bright day this morning with sunny spells and a few showers. Any showers will ease this evening, and the highest daytime temperatures will be around 11 or 12 degrees. Tonight will be dry with clear spells, but it will be a freezing night with lows of 0 to +2 degrees. Tomorrow will see a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers, some heavy with a chance of hail. The highest temperatures will be around 11 or 12 degrees with light to moderate northwesterly breezes.
The national outlook for Friday night predicts that showers will gradually die out, and it will become mainly dry with clear spells. Cloud will thicken from the southwest overnight, and there will be lows of 0 to 3 degrees with light and variable breezes and a touch of frost possible. Saturday will start off dry with some bright spells, and cloud and outbreaks of rain will gradually extend northeastwards. The rain will become light and patchy in the evening, with highest temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees and light to moderate southeasterly breezes. Saturday night will be mild and mostly cloudy with patchy light rain and drizzle, with lowest temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees and light to moderate southerly breezes.
Sunday will be mild and mostly cloudy with patchy light rain and drizzle, and some bright intervals will develop through the day. The highest temperatures will be between 13 to 17 degrees with light to moderate south to southwest breezes. Sunday night will be mild and mainly dry with some patches of mist or drizzle, with lowest temperatures of 8 to 10 degrees.
Overall, it seems that Ireland is in for a much-needed break from the cold and wet weather, with sunshine and warmth on the horizon.
