There’s heavy showers and sunny spells in store this weekend, but Met Eireann has forecast high pressure over Ireland next week.

Today, Friday, is to start mostly dry in the east but it will be cloudy with rain in the west, becoming persistent and heavy in the west and north during the morning and moving eastwards during the afternoon.

There will be top temperatures today of 13 to 16 degrees in a freshening southerly breeze which will be gusty at times, according to Met Eireann.

Showers are forecast tonight and will become confined to southern and western coastal counties while other areas will be cloudy but mainly dry.

Lowest temperatures will range between 6 to 9 degrees in mostly moderate southerly or westerly winds.

Because of good sunshine last week, Met Eireann has said that soil temperatures are generally 2 to 4 degrees above average at 14 to 16 degrees.

This weekend, drying conditions are forecast to be good at times but there will be interruptions to the good periods.

Spraying conditions will be moderate to poor which Met Eireann said is due to moderate to fresh winds for most of the coming week.

Winds are forecast to fall light at times but rain or showers will hamper spraying during these periods.

Saturday

Met Eireann has said that after a bright early start cloud will quickly increase countrywide and showers will develop.

Widespread heavy showers are forecast to affect all areas with thunder likely during the afternoon.

Winds will continue to be mainly southerly or southwesterly but will vary in strength, while highest temperatures look set to be in the low to mid-teens.

By Saturday evening, the showers will gradually become less intense and will die out during the night.

Sunday

On Sunday, northwesterly winds will bring a brighter day for Sunday with sunny spells but again scattered showers will develop with another risk of a few heavy showers, Met Eireann has forecast.

Highest temperatures on Sunday will range between 9 to 14 degrees and it will be coolest in the northwest of the country.

Outlook for next week

Current indications from Met Eireann suggest that Monday could see further showers with northwesterly winds persisting.

However, there are signs that from Tuesday onwards more settled conditions will return with high pressure and easterly winds dominating.