Warm weather is set to bring highs of 21°C to parts of Northern Ireland on Friday as the fire service continues to warn of wildfires across the country.
It comes as firefighters continue to battle major blazes in Northern Ireland, including in the Mournes and Belfast Hills. The Fire Service has also issued 10 pieces of advice to help stop the spread of wildfires this weekend.
Thursday was officially the warmest day of the year so far, as temperatures hit 22°C degrees in Castlederg in Co Tyrone and there were blue skies galore across NI with not a cloud in sight.
That's 10°C above the average temperature for April and even warmer than the typical averages for our warmest months - July (18.6°C) and August (18.3°C).
Dan Stroud, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “The average for this time of year is around 13C, so it’s going to be about 10C above average on Friday.
“We’ve got high pressure at the moment which effectively acts like a force field. It actually keeps fronts and clouds largely at bay and keeps conditions settled and dry underneath the area of high pressure.”
But while we might have sunshine now, sadly change in the form of rain is on the way this weekend as April showers and more unsettled weather conditions are forecast.
So if you're heading out and about this weekend to enjoy the last of the fine weather, here's what to expect:
Friday:
A dry bright day with plenty of sunny spells. Some patchy high cloud in the afternoon. Warm again. Maximum temperature 21°C.
Outlook for Saturday to Monday:
Mostly dry Saturday, some brightness to start, but increasingly cloudy with some patchy rain in the west later. Colder, cloudier, with showers Sunday and Monday
UK long range weather forecast: Tuesday 15 April - Thursday 24 April
Much more mixed weather conditions than of late, with low pressure systems and their associated areas of rain and showers often affecting the UK. The rain is likely to be heavy at times, and the showers, most frequently affecting western areas, will also be heavy and blustery in places, with isolated small hail and thunder.
There will also be some brighter, drier spells in between rain and showers, although probably large amounts of cloud too, with limited sunshine.
Unsettled, wet, and occasionally windy conditions are most likely during the first few days of this period; beyond this, and certainly into the following week, there is an increasing chance that cooler, northerly winds could develop, followed by a less unsettled spell. Temperatures mostly around average for the time of year.
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