Met Office reveal weather for Open Golf Championship as Yellow weather warning remains for thunderstorms in parts of Northern Ireland

The Met Office have warned the public to expect some disruption, particularly to travel, on Thursday.

The storms could also take place in the Portrush area where the 153rd Open Golf Championship is taking place at Royal Portrush.

And former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley has said he believes the projected weather forecast at Royal Portrush will bring “volatility” to The Open Championship.

While it was sunny and calm for large stretches of practice at the iconic Dunluce links, the 156-player field were met by rain on Thursday as they got their rounds underway.

That’s expected to continue throughout the remainder of the tournament while the wind is also set to pick up – coming in from different directions on each day of The Open, providing another tricky challenge.

Look at the Portrush forecast from the Met Office here

Met Office press officer Nicola Maxey said: ‘It started cloudy this morning at the Open and although it will often be dry today there is a chance of some intermittent rain at times.

‘There is an increasing risk of heavy showers developing through the afternoon and evening’.

She added that tomorrow (Friday) will be ‘cloudy to start, then some light drizzly showers are possible, before turning brighter’.

She added there is a ‘risk of showers developing’ abd ‘these could heavy at times, easing into the evening’.

Ms Maxey added that ‘there is still low confidence in the finer details for the weekend but it is expected to remain changeable with the potential for heavy showers or longer periods of rain’.

She added that ‘longer spells of dry weather are likely at times, particularly for Saturday, with a greater chance of wetter conditions on Sunday’.

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Earlier Met Office Meteorologist Alex Burkill said ‘there is the greatest risk of thunder in western parts of Northern Ireland which could see intense downpours with 10-20mm falling in just as hour or so’.

He added there is also ‘a risk or hail and lightening’ whilst temperatures today ‘will be a few degrees higher than yesterday’.

The news comes as the Highest maximum temperature in Northern Ireland yesterday was reported in Castlederg at 23.0 °C

The Met Office Northern Ireland said today will ‘start cloudy and warm with scattered showers and the occasional sunny spell’.

‘Showers will become frequent and heavy at times in the west in the afternoon. Maximum temperature 21 °C,’ adds the forecaster.

And tonight Northern Ireland will see ‘showers, some heavy, clear from the late evening’ And ‘after a brief dry period, isolated showers build over southern parts towards the morning’.

There will be a minimum temperature 13 °C.

Tomorrow (Friday) will be ‘warm with sunny spells’ although ‘a band of scattered showers, some heavy at times will pass east in the afternoon’.

There will be a maximum temperature 22 °C.

And the outlook for Saturday to Monday is ‘sunny spells and isolated showers Saturday becoming cloudy with frequent, heavy and thundery showers’ whilst Sunday afternoon will be ‘dry with sunny periods’.

Looking further ahead Monday 21 Jul - Wednesday 30 Jul there will be ‘overall a rather more changeable pattern of weather through this period, compared to much of the summer thus far.

‘The first couple of days will likely be dominated by low pressure leading to particularly unsettled weather, with heavy rain and/or thunderstorms in some areas.

‘Thereafter, a general westerly regime looks to become established, with occasional weather systems moving in from the Atlantic.

‘This means further rain or showers and breezy conditions at times, especially in the northwest.

‘This will be interspersed with some drier, sunnier periods.

‘Temperatures are expected to average out above normal and whilst brief hotter and humid days are possible.

‘This broad pattern is likely to continue through to the end of July’.

And looking even further ahead – Thursday 31 Jul - Thursday 14 Aug – ‘The rather changeable pattern will likely continue through early August with spells of rain or showers mixed in with some drier, brighter days.

‘Towards mid-August, there are tentative signs that high pressure may become rather more dominant, which could bring more in the way dry, settled weather more widely.

‘Temperatures will likely continue to be above average overall, with the possibility of very warm or hot spells developing later in the period, especially further south and east.’