Dramatic u-turn to Laois temperatures this bank holiday weekend

While Laois locals soak up the peak of the sunny weather, there is a slightly disappointing change in weather to come.

Temperatures will lower, with clouds and patches of drizzle expected.

Take a look at our forecast from Met Éireann for Laois this week:

Wednesday

It'll be warm and mainly sunny today. A few showers will bubble up at times, most likely across the midlands and west, and a few could be heavy with the chance of the odd isolated thunderstorm but most areas will stay dry. Highest temperatures of 19 to 24, possibly 25 degrees, with mainly light southeasterly breezes.

Tonight, any showers or thunderstorms will ease and die away early tonight and most places will be dry and clear. Thickening cloud in the northwest will start to extend southeastwards overnight, with patchy outbreaks of drizzle affecting parts of Ulster. Areas of mist will form too. Lowest temperatures of 7 to 12 degrees with light variable breezes.

Thursday

Though Thursday is the first day of summer, there will be a contrast in conditions across the country, with cooler conditions to the north and warmer conditions to the south.

In Connacht and Ulster, it'll start out mostly cloudy with a little patchy light rain and drizzle, but clearer, sunnier conditions will spread from the northwest for the afternoon.

It'll feel much cooler there with highest temperatures 12 to 17 degrees in light to moderate northerly winds. In most of Leinster and Munster however, Thursday will be mostly sunny to begin.

It'll be a bit cloudier though in northern areas with a little drizzle possible. Cloud will build further for the afternoon, with some scattered showers breaking out, which will possibly be heavy and thundery, especially across southern counties.

Highest temperatures here of 18 to 23 or 24 degrees, warmest furthest south, where it'll be sunniest, with light variable winds becoming light to moderate northerly later.

There'll be some showers for a time early on Thursday night in southern parts, but these will soon die away, and the rest of the night will be dry with a mix of cloud and clear spells. The cooler fresher conditions further north will gradually extend southwards to all parts overnight, with lowest temperatures of 5 to 11 degrees, in light to moderate northerly breezes.

FRIDAY

Friday will be cooler and a bit cloudier as compared to the previous couple of days. However, it'll be mainly dry, with just a few light showers around. There'll be some bright or sunny spells too, the best of these early on and again in the evening.

Highest temperatures of 13 to 17 or 18 degrees, mildest in the south, in a light to moderate northerly breeze.

Dry and mostly clear on Friday night with a few isolated mist and fog patches possible.

Cloud will build in the north and northwest overnight. Lowest temperatures of 4 to 8 degrees in light northerly or variable breezes.

Saturday

It'll be dry and bright to begin on Saturday in many parts with sunny spells, but cloudier conditions in the north and northwest will gradually spread southwards over the country through the morning and afternoon, along with a few spots of light rain or drizzle, with these mainly across the northern half of the country.

It'll brighten up from the north again later in the afternoon and evening, with some sunshine to end the day in many areas. Highest temperatures 13 to 17 degrees in mostly moderate northeasterly breezes.

Dry and mostly clear on Saturday night.

Lowest temperatures of 4 to 8 degrees in light to moderate northerly breezes.

Sunday

Sunday will be mainly dry and bright with good spells of sunshine. Cloud will build a little at times through the morning and for the afternoon, bringing the chance of a few isolated showers, these most likely across the eastern half of the country, but they'll be very hit and miss.

Highest temperatures of 11 to 15 degrees, coolest in the north and warmest in the midwest, in light to moderate northeast winds.

Dry and mostly clear on Sunday night, though with a few mist and fog patches forming. Chilly with lowest temperatures of 1 to 7 degrees, in mostly light northeast or variable breezes.

Bank Holiday Monday

Monday will be a dry, bright day with good spells of sunshine. Once again a little bit of cloud will build at times later in the morning and into the afternoon. Feeling cool with highest temperatures of 11 to 15 degrees, coolest in the north and warmest in the south, in light north to northeast or variable breezes.

High pressure will continue to dominate the weather for the following couple days, bringing mostly dry and settled conditions, though a little rain is likely from midweek. Temperatures look set to remain close to or a little above the average for early May.