Highly concentrated Saharan sand is on its way to Ireland in “unusually mild” temperatures for this time of year.
A warm air mass is pushing dust north from the Sahara Desert and Spain.
Earlier this week, the EU’s Copernicus Sentinel 3 satellite showed dust particles carried by winds from the Sahara Desert and spreading as far north as the Canary Islands.
Dust is expected to blow across Ireland over the weekend, with rain expected to fall on Sunday.
Amateur meteorologist Alan O’Reilly, who runs the Carlow Weather social media account, said Saharan dust often gets airborne.
“When it rains, that dust comes down to the ground. Particularly during the summer, Sahara dust often falls on us, but if it’s dry and calm, that dust comes down to the ground. It’s not often that people come down.”
He told News Talk Radio that temperatures will be “unusually mild” on Sunday due to a warm air mass, reaching 14 degrees Celsius in parts.
Ms Alien said Saturday night would be calm and mostly cloudy with scattered light rain or drizzle.
The forecaster said Sunday will be mostly cloudy and dry with some light rain or drizzle. Rain will develop in the west before midday and move eastward across the rest of the country in the afternoon and evening.
Rain is expected to continue in the south and east on Sunday night, but the northwest is expected to remain sunny and dry.
Temperatures are expected to drop between 1 and 5 degrees on Sunday night.