There will be a close and humid start to the week, with highs of 22 degrees, but Met Eireann has forecast for the weather to turn fresher towards the end of the week.

Today Monday will be a close and humid day, while it is forecast to stay misty along the southwest and south coasts and on high ground elsewhere, with some patches of drizzle and fog at times.

It will dry out in most other areas, with some sunny breaks developing locally, however, Met Eireann has said that the drizzle and fog will tend to become more widespread over Connacht and parts of Munster later this afternoon and evening.

Top temperatures today will range between 18 to 24 degrees, and it will feel warm in any sunshine, in moderate southwesterly winds.

It will stay close and very humid tonight, with mist and clouds generally, while drizzle and fog will become fairly widespread.

There will be some persistent rain too, mainly in Atlantic coastal counties as lowest temperatures range between 15 to 18 degrees.

Met Eireann has said that drying conditions will be variable for much of the coming week, with the eastern half of the country probably faring best as regards good drying.

Meanwhile, spraying will be hampered occasionally by breezy and damp weather but favourable conditions will arise from time to time.

All poorly drained soils are saturated and are set to remain so for at least the next week. Moderately drained soils will vary between saturation and good trafficability depending on rainfall in the coming days.

Even some well drained lands are near saturation at the moment but will improve in the days ahead, Met Eireann said.

Tuesday

Tuesday is forecast to be another close and humid day. A misty, damp start is forecast many places, but drying out gradually with some breaks in cloud developing, allowing some hazy sunshine to come through.

Patches of fog and drizzle will linger on hills and exposed coasts as top temperatures vary between 19 to 23 degrees.

Tuesday night will be another close and humid night with widespread mist and with patches of drizzle and fog also.

Wednesday

Wednesday will be another close and humid day, according to Met Eireann and it will be rather cloudy and misty in many areas.

There will be some patches of fog and drizzle too, these mainly on parts of the south and west coasts. It is forecast to be drier elsewhere, with some bright or sunny spells developing.

Top temperatures on Wednesday will range between 18 to 20 degrees, generally, but up to 22 degrees, in any sunny breaks.

A spell of heavy and possibly thundery rain is forecast to develop over the south and west of the country late in the day and overnight and it will get breezy also, with rain and drizzle spreading to the rest of the country towards dawn.

Rest of the week

Current indications from Met Eireann suggest that on Thursday, Friday, Saturday it will turn much fresher, with temperatures in the mid to high teens at best.

It is forecast to be unsettled and changeable too, with some wet and windy weather at times, with some heavy falls of rain likely.