After a soggy start to June, there could finally be some good news on the horizon for sun worshippers this summer.
Weather experts predict that while the first week of the month will continue to bring scattered showers, cloudy skies, and the odd downpour, a much more settled pattern is expected to emerge as June progresses.
The recent burst of sunshine, with temperatures soaring into the high twenties, gave many people a taste of summer, and forecasters now believe warm weather could make a welcome return later this month.
Over the coming days, Ireland will remain under the influence of low-pressure systems moving across the Atlantic, bringing frequent showers and unsettled conditions. But beyond that, the outlook becomes much more encouraging.
Long-range forecasts suggest high pressure could begin to build from the middle of June, increasing the chances of drier days, lighter winds and temperatures climbing above average for the time of year.
And that’s not all.
Meteorologists also forecast that the second half of June could continue the trend, with warmer-than-normal conditions expected across much of the country and rainfall potentially falling below average.
However, weather experts are issuing a warning about the recent high temperatures, and say a major global weather phenomenon linked to scorching temperatures and severe weather events is making a comeback.
The World Meteorological Organisation has strengthened its forecast for the return of El Niño this summer, raising concerns that the climate pattern could drive up global temperatures until at least November.
The development comes as several countries, including Ireland and parts of Europe, have already experienced unusually warm conditions and record-breaking temperatures in recent weeks.
El Niño occurs when sea surface temperatures in parts of the tropical Pacific Ocean rise above normal, and it can have far-reaching effects on weather systems worldwide, influencing everything from heatwaves and droughts to heavy rainfall and storms.
Scientists will now closely monitor developments over the coming months as countries prepare for more extreme and unpredictable weather conditions.
If you want some hope for settled warm weather to return the weather models show it happening around the 11th of the month. Long way off yet but fingers crossed 🤞 pic.twitter.com/phiCePPYEt
— Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) June 1, 2026
However, with warm and even hot weather forecast for later in the month, Met Éireann has issued a yellow weather warning for rain and gale-force winds along the Southwest coast.
The alert kicks in from 8 o’ clock on Wednesday evening and is due to expire around midnight, but during those few hours, the Southwest is expected to be battered by heavy wind and rain.
For holidaymakers, festival-goers and anyone planning a barbecue, the latest outlook will come as a welcome boost after several summers that left many people reaching for umbrellas instead of sunglasses.
While weather experts are warning that long-range forecasts can change, confidence is growing that Ireland could be heading for one of its more pleasant summers in recent years.
