Get the shades out: Summer is finally here

It's been a dull week, weather wise, but there's some very good news for sun worshippers this weekend. The cooler temperatures we've been experiencing lately are set to rise, making way for highs in the early 20s throughout Saturday and Sunday. Bruce Springsteen fans heading to tonight's Croke Park show can leave the winter coats at home: according to Met Eireann, some decent sunshine will develop throughout the day and temperatures will rise to between 15 and 19 degrees in light easterly breezes. However occasional heavy showers may occur during the later part of the afternoon and evening. Saturday will be warm, bright and sunny with temperatures reaching the 20s, but do take an umbrella with you because there are a couple of heavy showers forecast. Sunday will be warm with good sunshine over much of the country and highest temperatures of 17 to 20 degrees so if you're breaking out the barbecue, this is the time to do it. And it doesn't end there: next week we're due some proper summer weather with a prolonged dry and sunny period predicted from Monday to Friday. It'll start off warm, between 18 and 22 degrees and apart from the odd shower (it is Ireland, after all) we should see highest temperatures of 20 to 24 degrees by Thursday. Break out the sunscreen, folks. Summer is finally here.