Ireland is set to bask in some well-deserved sunshine this weekend with temperatures expected to exceed those in The Algarve.

It’s been a very temperamental few months on the weather front, with rain forecast for the coming days before a glorious break.

Alan O’Reilly of Carlow Weather has teased temperatures to potentially exceed 26C from next week.

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Pic: Getty Images

The improvement will begin gradually over the coming days, although mixed conditions are expected before the warmer spell fully develops.

Taking to X on Wednesday evening, the weather expert clarified that there’s still some rain forecast for Thursday evening, and even some showers on Friday.

‘The weekend and early next week look mainly dry,’ he followed up.

Pic: Getty Images

National forecasters Met Éireann have a similar outlook on the coming days, forecasting outbreaks of rain and drizzle on Thursday afternoon, some of which will be heavy.

Highest temperatures of 14 to 19 degrees are on the cards, according to the forecaster, who predict mist and drizzle heading into Thursday night.

On Friday, there will be some showery rain in the afternoon, heaviest in Ulster, and lighter elsewhere.

By evening time, any lingering showers are expected to dry out with a dry and cloudy night heading into the weekend.

Temperatures on Friday night are expected to remain around 12 degrees.

The forecaster said: ‘Temperatures will continue to trend upwards with warm or very warm conditions. High pressure will bring mostly dry and settled weather too.’

Saturday and Sunday will see temperatures exceeding 20 degrees, with sunny spells developing on Saturday and remaining for Sunday.

Looking towards the next week, high pressure is expected to dominate, bringing a continuation of the settled spell of warm and very warm conditions.