Unsettled Bank Holiday Weekend Ahead for Cork: Dry Start, Damp Sunday and Blustery Monday

A mixed Bank Holiday weekend is on the cards for Cork, with both the ECMWF HRES and GFS models in broad agreement with Met Éireann’s latest forecast, pointing to a mainly dry start on Saturday before conditions turn unsettled through Sunday and Monday.

Saturday (25 October)
Cork begins the weekend on a mostly dry note, with sunny spells and just isolated showers early in the day. Temperatures will sit between 6 and 8°C during the morning, with light to moderate north-westerly winds of 15–20 km/h keeping visibility good. Cloud will build gradually through the afternoon as showers move in from the northwest, some turning briefly heavy with rainfall rates around 1–2 mm per hour. Afternoon highs will reach 10–12°C, and winds will freshen to 20–30 km/h with gusts up to 50 km/h. By evening, showers will fade and clear spells will return, leaving a cooler night with temperatures falling back to 6–8°C.

Sunday (26 October)
Sunday will bring a dull, damp and breezy day across Cork, consistent across both weather models and Met Éireann guidance. Light rain and drizzle will develop overnight, continuing through the morning with reduced visibility on higher ground. Rainfall will generally be light, but the persistence will leave surfaces damp. Afternoon highs will range from 11 to 13°C, with moderate to fresh westerly winds of 25–35 km/h and gusts occasionally reaching 55 km/h. By evening, rain will become patchier and some dry intervals will develop, though drizzle may linger into the night.

Bank Holiday Monday (27 October)
Monday looks to start largely dry with some early brightness. However, both ECMWF and GFS indicate that rain and drizzle will spread from the southwest during the late morning, moving northeast through the afternoon. Rainfall totals of 2–4 mm are likely, with brief heavier bursts possible as temperatures climb to 12–15°C. Winds will strengthen from the west-southwest, reaching 25–35 km/h with gusts up to 60 km/h near coastal areas. The rain will clear eastwards by evening, leaving scattered showers, easing winds, and temperatures between 7 and 10°C overnight.

Confidence and Outlook
Confidence remains moderate to high for the overall pattern: a settled start giving way to a wetter, breezier Sunday and Monday. Model differences are minor, with ECMWF suggesting slightly higher gusts and an earlier onset of Monday’s rain.

Travel Advice:
Motorists should allow extra time for journeys, be alert to surface water, and take care in gusty crosswinds on exposed routes, particularly on Sunday afternoon and Monday.