IRELAND IS SET for a cloudy start this week, but suncream may come in handy by Friday as temperatures are set to soar to 25 degrees. 

Met Éireann says an ‘Azores High’ – an area of high pressure extending from the South Atlantic – will see Mediterranean-like conditions across the country from 16 July. 

The week will start off with light outbreaks of rain and drizzle today, followed by a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers in the afternoon. The worst rain is forecast for the east of the country, bringing with it the risk of isolated thunderstorms and spot flooding with highs of 18 to 22 degrees. 

Tomorrow will be cloudy to start, with some patchy drizzle affecting coastal counties in the north and west of the country before sunshine from the east becomes more widespread, with parts of the south and east reaching highs of 23 degrees. 

There will be a fair amount of cloud and drizzle on Wednesday, with sunny spells in the morning making way for showers in the north and west of the country. 

Thursday will start quite cloudy, with light outbreaks of rain and drizzle continuing in the north. It will become drier and brighter through the day, with highest temperatures of 18 to 23 degrees. 

On Friday, the country will feel the benefit of the Azores High as dry and sunny conditions will be felt nationwide, with temperatures set to climb to between 20 and 25 degrees.