Northern Ireland Weather: Temperatures remain at least 18C today - a whopping 6C above April’s long term average

Mr Dixon added that ‘high pressure is in charge of Northern Ireland’s weather at the moment, bringing plenty of sunshine and dry conditions through this week’.

And he revealed that ‘the first hints of a transition to more unsettled weather will be late on Friday, with some cloud possibly building in to western areas later on the day’.

And he said that ‘before more showers through the day on Saturday, with further unsettled weather likely on Sunday as we see a transition to more of an Atlantic influence on Northern Ireland’s weather’.

Mr Dixon added that ‘temperatures are above average for the time of year for Northern Ireland’ with ‘April’s long term average for Northern Ireland being 12C and much of the country will be beyond that through much of this week’.

Meanwhile Met Office Northern Ireland said that today will be ‘another dry and mild day with unbroken sunshine nearly everywhere and light winds’ with a maximum temperature of 18 °C.

And tonight will have ‘late sunshine and then clear skies throughout the evening, Staying clear through the night allowing some mist or fog patches to develop, with local frost in places

There will be a minimum temperature 1 °C.

And tomorrow (Wednesday) ‘once again some early fog or frost patches will soon clear away’ before ‘another dry and mild day with unbroken sunshine nearly everywhere and light winds’.

There will be a maximum temperature 19 °C.

And the ourlook for Thursday to Saturday is that it will ‘remain dry and largely sunny, though sunshine turning hazier Friday and Saturday and cloudier at times in northwest’.

And it will become ‘warm, but chilly overnight with a few fog patches’ and ‘light winds’.

And looking at the forecast for Saturday 12 Apr - Monday 21 Apr the Met Office says: ‘Most areas will be dry and sunny with light winds at first as high pressure extends across much of the UK.

‘However, it will be cloudier and breezier in parts of the far north with some light rain or drizzle at times

‘Temperatures will be above normal away from windward coasts.

‘A gradual change to a more unsettled weather regime is likely thereafter, with Atlantic frontal systems from the west or showers from the south making inroads across the UK.

‘This is expected to herald a wetter period through the middle of April with showers or longer spells of rain at times, which could be heavy and thundery in places.

‘Strong winds could develop in some areas, particularly the south and west.

‘Temperatures are likely to return closer to normal’.