Northern Ireland weather: 'Brighter spells of weak sunshine prosper’ today and even milder conditions forecast for Friday and Saturday

The forecasters say today we had a ‘showery start with outbreaks most frequent north of Lough Neagh and through the morning, before dwindling during the afternoon’.

It adds that ‘northwest breezes ease and brighter spells of weak sunshine prosper’ today.

There will be a maximum temperature today of 8 °C.

And tonight is expected to be ‘dry’ save ‘for a few light showers around the coasts, with prolonged clear spells and light winds bringing a frosty dawn for many in central and southern parts’.

There will be a minimum temperature of -3 °C.

Meanwhile tomorrow will have ‘a frosty start for many with temperatures only slowly lifting in plentiful weak sunshine’.

The Met Office adds that it will be mostly ‘dry with only isolated light showers around the coasts’.

There will be a maximum temperature of 7 °C.

Meanwhile the outlook for Thursday to Saturday is ‘dry and bright for Thursday with some risk of early fog patches’.

The forecasters say it will be ‘milder for Friday and Saturday with occasional rain most persistent across western hills’.

And a Spokeswoman for the Met Office added that “beyond five days, our forecasts are for the UK as a whole because when looking at forecasts beyond five days into the future, the chaotic nature of the atmosphere starts to come into play - small events currently over the Atlantic can have potentially significant impacts on our weather in the UK in several days' time”.

She added: “Therefore, whilst we can still forecast the general feel of the weather to a relatively high level of accuracy using our ensemble models, it becomes harder to offer local detail to as high a level of accuracy as our shorter range forecasts.

"For this reason, our text forecasts for 5 days and beyond are written on the scale of the UK as a whole”.

"Our long range forecast (which is updated on a daily basis) provides an indication of how the weather might change, or be different from normal, (i.e. warmer, colder, wetter, drier) across the whole UK”.

The relative calm comes as Northern counts the cost of floods and wind after Storm Bert battered the province.

And the Long Range Forecast – from Saturday 30 Nov - Monday 9 Dec – is: “Mainly dry with some clear or sunny spells but rather cold towards the southeast at first as high pressure over the continent extends its influence here.

"Cloudier, windier and milder in the north and west with some outbreaks of rain.

"Early next week, it looks like the rain in the west will edge further east, bringing a short spell of rain to the east.

"High pressure may then re-assert itself close to or over the UK through early December.

"The largely dry, settled theme may be punctuated by brief unsettled spells though with areas of low pressure possibly crossing the UK, bringing some spells of wind and rain.

"Temperatures generally near average, but some overnight frost is likely, and rather cold by day where any fog persists”.

And another forecast up to Christmas – Tuesday 10 Dec - Tuesday 24 Dec – says: “The start of this period looks like being largely settled, with high pressure close to if not over the UK.

"However, as we move towards mid-December, there are signs that it will become less settled with west or northwesterly types preferred.

"These will bring some wetter and windier interludes with a risk of some snow, especially for hills in the north.

"These conditions may prevail into late December, although drier, more settled spells may also affect the UK at times, these probably more likely towards the south.

"Temperatures generally close to average through the period.”