LATEST: Ireland red hot on weather maps as forecasters predict 21C sun blast

Ireland looks set to enjoy a spell of dry and warm weather with one forecaster predicting the mercury will tick above 20C next week.

Cathal Nolan from Ireland's Weather Channel made the prediction in his latest forecast which says "olur temperatures are set to jump up from just 7-8 degrees Celsius tomorrow to 20 or 21 degrees Celsius next Wednesday and Thursday across the country."

He said this is happening "as a spell of very settled weather looks set to develop over the weekend and through much of next week."

He added: "Already there’s bags of cans being assembled, sick notes are being readied for school and work alike as the Irish summer could arrive this year in April, months ahead of the annual leaving cert spell of weather that graves out shore towards the end of May or the start of June. 99’s, BBQs and Bulmers are on the cards!"

Met Éireann has not yet issued an official forecast for next weekend but has said in it's latest outlook that "indications are that it will be mostly dry and settled as high pressure continues to dominate our weather through the rest of the working week [beyond Tuesday next week]."

Between now and then, there will be some mixed weather with Friday bringing "cool and breezy" weather "with sunshine and fairly widespread showers developing, some heavy and with the chance of hail and isolated thunderstorms.

READ NEXT: Two words in Met Éireann weather forecast have us dreaming of sun blast

"The showers will ease and become more isolated later in the day. Highest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees in moderate to fresh and gusty westerly winds, strong at times for western and northern coasts, moderating later," Met Éireann says.

They say it will be "mostly dry tonight [Friday] with clear spells and isolated showers at first. Cloud will build from the west through the night with patchy rain and drizzle moving into western and southwestern parts by morning. Lowest temperatures of 1 to 5 degrees in mostly light southwesterly breezes."

Into the weekend, they say there will be "some bright or sunny spells in the east at first [on Saturday] but otherwise cloudy with outbreaks of light rain and drizzle, particularly in the southwest and west in the morning.

"The rain and drizzle will turn lighter and patchier as it spreads eastwards across the country along with some mist, hill and coastal fog. A clearance to drier and brighter conditions will develop in the northwest in the early afternoon, extending southeastwards through the rest of the day. Highest temperatures of 11 to 15 degrees with moderate to fresh south to southwest winds developing."

It's not bad news for those heading to a match or a Mother's Day dinner on Sunday as Met Éireann says it will be "largely dry with a mix of cloud and sunny spells with just a few light showers. Highest temperatures of 12 to 16 degrees in light to moderate westerly winds.

"Turning mostly cloudy overnight [on Sunday night]. Dry for most though with just a few light showers, mainly in the northwest. Lowest temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees in light southwesterly breezes with mist and fog patches developing."

They say "mist and fog will clear through the morning [on Monday] to leave a mostly dry day with a mix of cloud and sunny spells with just isolated light showers. Highest temperatures of 12 to 15 degrees in light to moderate southwest to south winds. Mainly dry overnight with lowest temperatures of 4 to 8 degrees in light to moderate south to southeast breezes. Mist and fog patches will also develop.

"A dry day with better spells of sunshine likely [is also predicted for Tuesday]. Highest temperatures of 11 to 15 degrees in mostly moderate southeast winds, fresh at times for southwestern coasts."