With unusually warm conditions for September, the Irish weather forecast predicts Ireland will be hotter than the Algarve in Portugal this weekend.
Irish Meteorological Service, Met Eireann, has predicted highs of 23 degrees Celsius on the Emerald Isle on Saturday.
Yet weather experts have forecast slightly cooler temperatures of 22C with a risk of light showers for many holiday hotspots on the Algarve.
Staying dry
Once the early fog lifts across Ireland this morning conditions will appear dry and bright.
Sunny spells will leave most counties feeling warm with highs of 22C in the Midlands and a toasty 21C in the capital.
Northern counties will also bask in dry sunny weather this afternoon with highs of 18C and even reaching 20C in the northwest.
The Atlantic coastline will be immensely pleasant today with lots of sunshine, temperatures of 21C and a light southeasterly breeze.
The south will remain dry with more sunshine and highs of 20C in the many gorgeous parts of West Cork.
Conditions will continue to stay dry overnight with most of the country maintaining double figures and only dropping slightly lower than 10C in some rural parts.
More September sunshine
The Irish weather forecast for Friday will bring a similar picture with lots of dry sunny weather up and down the country.
Highs of 21C will cover the west and northwest coast while the cities of Cork, Dublin and Belfast will maintain a very pleasant 19C well into the afternoon.
The rain will stay away ahead of the weekend although southeasterly winds may pick up slightly, giving a fresher feel.
The west will get the best of the weather for the Friday commute bringing perfect beer garden conditions to end the week.
Friday night will remain dry with temperatures staying in double figures everywhere.
Clear skies will be enjoyed across the top half of the country while the southern coastline will experience some cloud coverage into the early hours of Saturday.
Not to last
Saturday will start dry with sunny spells but cloud travelling from the south will introduce scattered showers towards the afternoon.
As rain heads north, the west coast will experience more frequent outbreaks.
Despite this, the Irish weather forecast promises temperatures will remain high at an average of 20C in Connacht.
Umbrellas will be needed in the Capital too as rain sweeps the east of the country on Saturday afternoon.
Southeast winds will keep conditions feeling cool but again the temperature will maintain a pleasant 18C.
Ulster will escape most of the Saturday showers and stay sunny with highs of 18C in Belfast and 20C further west.
Weather experts predict more showers overnight with no sign of lifting for Sunday morning, bringing a rather wet end to the weekend for most.
Rain is set to become heavier in the southeast during the course of Sunday afternoon.
Scattered showers will continue elsewhere, becoming more frequent in the west at times.
Conditions are forecast to clear in the north bringing dry spells and highs of 22C in the sunshine ahead of Sunday afternoon.
Next week is expected to bring more Autumnal weather with cooler temperatures and sporadic rain.
