The country is set to bask in pleasant sunshine for spells on Thursday, with better conditions forecast for the weekend when temperatures will soar to 21C.
The welcome return of the summer comes after Ireland has been washed out and hit by a deluge of downpours during the past week.
Connacht and Ulster will benefit from the best start to the day on Thursday, but some cloud and patchy rain across Leinster and Munster will clear during the afternoon.
A Met Eireann forecaster said: “This clearance with sunny spells will extend southwards to all areas during the afternoon, but some showers will also develop, some heavy.
“There will be top temperatures of 15C to 19C in a moderate northerly breeze.”
The meteorological service said we can expect a mix of sunshine and showers on Friday, with western and northern counties faring worst when it comes to the downpours.
The forecaster continued: “There will be highest temperatures of 14C to 18C and it will be warmest in the south of the country with fresh northwest breezes.
“It’ll be mainly dry overnight with clear spells and rather cold for mid-July with minimum temperatures of 6C to 9C.
Meanwhile, on Saturday the outlook looks set to be mainly dry with a mix of cloud and sunny spells.
The forecaster added: “A few light showers are possible in parts of the west and north but these will be few and far between.
“There will be highest temperatures ranging between 16C and 20C.
“It’ll be generally dry overnight but becoming cloudier and breezier in the west and north with the chance of some patchy rain in coastal areas later.”
The early indications for Sunday are even better with lots of dry, sunny spells and the mercury soaring to between 19C and 21C.
However, parts of the west and north will be cloudier with the chance of rain for a time with highest temperatures of 15C to 18C.
Meanwhile, the return of sunny, bright spells may lead to many people taking out the barbecue again this weekend.
And stark new research revealed on Wednesday that just under half of us (45%) are at risk of getting sick from eating under-cooked burgers.
The Safefood survey found 50% of us are lacking in confidence when it comes to knowing when BBQ meat is thoroughly cooked.
The Well Done BBQ Burger campaign encourages people to cook burgers well done to avoid making family and friends sick.
