IRELAND can expect a cold and rainy shift in the weather towards the end of this week, Met Eireann has warned.
Tonight will be mostly dry with some “clear spells” dotted around, and “mist and fog in parts of the south”, the forecaster said.
Tomorrow there will be rain across the south of the country and then "east to remaining areas during the morning".
As the week wears on, a drop in temperature and showers are anticipated from Wednesday.
Here is Met Eireann’s forecast:
TONIGHT: Dry to begin tonight with clear spells. Mist and fog will return to parts of the south. Many places will be dry for most of the night. Thicker cloud bringing rain will arrive along the coast of the northwest and begin to extend east and south later in the night. Cold with lowest temperatures of minus 2 to plus 2 degrees, a little less cold across west Connacht and Ulster. Light to moderate southwest winds.
TOMMOROW: Rain will extend south and east to remaining areas during the morning, turning heavy at times across west Munster, and clearing from the northwest with showers and sunny spells following for the rest of the day. Showers will be heaviest and most frequent in the northwest, with isolated hail showers possible. Light to moderate southwest winds will veer northerly with the clearing rain and increase strong on western and northern coasts. Daytime temperatures of 5 to 7 degrees.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Long dry and clear spells with scattered showers feeding over the country in fresh northerly winds, showers most frequent near western and northern coasts. Lowest temperatures of 0 to +3 degrees, less cold along Atlantic fringes.
THURSDAY: Thursday will be cold with scattered showers. There will be good sunshine at first, but it will become cloudier through the day from the northwest. Highest temperatures of just 5 to 8 degrees. Breezy at first but northwest winds will ease light during the afternoon.
THURSDAY NIGHT: Becoming windy overnight with fresh to strong westerly winds developing. Mostly cloudy with a few showers at first, but rain will slowly extend from the northwest to all areas overnight. Lowest temperatures of -1 to +3 degrees, with milder conditions spreading from the west overnight.
FRIDAY: Friday will be windy with frequent showers. Cold, with some showers possibly turning to sleet in the evening. Fresh to strong northerly winds with gales likely near some coasts and over high ground. Highest temperatures of 7 to 9 degrees with an added wind chill factor. Remaining windy through the night with further showers. Some showers of sleet or snow are likely over the north and west. Lowest temperatures of 0 to +4 degrees.
SATURDAY: Further scattered showers on Saturday with sunny intervals, some sleet or snow showers possible over high ground in the north. Feeling cold in brisk northerly winds which will moderate later in the day. Highest temperatures of just 5 to 7 degrees. Cold overnight with temperatures near freezing or slightly below.
SUNDAY: Sunday is looking to be cloudier. Mostly dry to begin with rain developing in the west later in the day and spreading eastwards. Winds will be light or moderate. Early indications suggest it will turn milder heading into next week.
