Temperatures expected to rise next week!

Let's be honest, it feels like we've skipped summer and gone straight to autumn with this harsh low weather system at the minute.

Saturday is expected to bring a day of sunny spells and showers, which is good news for those taking part in Belfast Pride.

Meanwhile Sunday looks to be the best day of the weekend, with a fine and dry day for many.

David Hayter is a Deputy Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office and said: “As we go through the weekend, the jet stream will weaken to the west of the UK generating an area of high pressure that will slowly move in across the UK. High pressure means the air is sinking from higher in the atmosphere and that brings drier, settled and sunnier weather.

“Temperatures will rise too, becoming widely above average. We could see maxima of 27°C in the south and 25°C in the northeast by Sunday. There’s a bit more in the way of patchy cloud in Northern Ireland, south and west Scotland and the northern isles, so temperatures will be lower there.”

Looking ahead, according to the Met Office: "Conditions look to turn increasingly warm, or even hot, in central, southern and eastern areas early next week and it is possible some places may reach heatwave criteria.

"It’s uncertain how long this warmer weather will last though, with a possible breakdown from mid-week."

Northern Ireland's five-day forecast:

Today: Dry and bright towards eastern counties in the morning with sunny spells, cloudier with the odd shower possible in the north and west. Scattered afternoon showers developing from late morning, persisting through the afternoon. Maximum temperature 19 °C.

Tonight: Scattered showers at first, but these will gradually die out through the evening. Cloudy but mainly dry through the night, with the chance some showers in the south and west. Minimum temperature 9 °C.

Saturday: A largely cloudy but mainly dry morning. Becoming brighter as cloud breaks up through the day, allowing the odd shower to develop in the afternoon, dying out in the evening. Maximum temperature 20 °C.

Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday: A largely fine and dry Sunday with plenty of sunshine. Cloud and drizzle likely on Monday, mainly in the west. Largely dry again with some sunshine on Tuesday.

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