Spring sunshine to linger before temperatures dip

Northern Ireland is experiencing some of the finest weather of the year so far, with warm sunshine set to continue through the rest of the working week.

High pressure continues to dominate the weather pattern keeping skies clear and dry.

A temperature shift to cooler conditions is likely to start this weekend.

Castlederg recorded 19C on Monday, the warmest day of the year so far, and similar highs are expected on Tuesday afternoon especially in the west.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Northern Ireland is due to see clear skies after early patches of mist clear, with temperatures widely peaking between 17C and 20C.

Those are temperatures normally recorded in July and August with the average for April closer to 12C.

The settled spell continues into Friday with another sunny day, light westerly winds, and highs around 19C.

Saturday will start misty and foggy in parts, but these will clear to reveal fine weather into the afternoon.

However, temperatures will begin to ease slightly, with highs between 14C and 18C.

From Sunday, low pressure is expected to edge in from the Atlantic, bringing a cooler and more unsettled picture into next week.

For now, though, the short-term outlook remains bright — with the best of the spring sunshine lasting into the weekend.