Met Eireann has forecast a fairly mixed spell of weather for the coming weekend, with a mix of sunny spells and outbreaks of rain around the country.
Patches of mist and fog will clear this morning and today will be mainly dry and bright, with good sunshine developing in most areas, according to Met Eireann.
However, a few isolated, light showers may occur in parts of the west and north. There is also a slight risk of sea fog lingering along parts of the south-east coast.
Tonight will be dry, with long clear intervals in many areas, the national meteorological office says. In slack winds, patches of mist and fog will develop, especially in coastal counties of the south and south-east. Minimum temperatures will fall to between 1° and 4° with a touch of grass frost possible in places.
Drying conditions have been moderate to good in recent days and will continue today. However, some showers over the weekend and rain next week will mean drying will reduce to poor at times.
Meanwhile, regarding field conditions, moderate and well-drained soils have trafficability with an overall improvement in the coming week.
Poorly-drained soils will improve this weekend – but will see a gradual deterioration after that due to rain and showers.
Tomorrow
Tomorrow, Saturday, will be dry in most areas, with mist and fog clearing during the morning – though possibly lingering in parts of the east and south coasts during the day.
Most areas will have good sunny spells, but cloud will increase from the Atlantic – bringing outbreaks of rain to western coasts of Connacht in the afternoon, Met Eireann expects. This will extend slowly inland across Atlantic coastal counties during the evening.
Maximum temperatures will range from 11° to 13° in Atlantic coastal areas, while it will be 15° to 18° elsewhere. Winds will be mostly light southerly, freshening along Atlantic coasts.
These will reach the east coast in the early morning. Minimum temperatures will be 6° to 8° in moderate southerly winds, veering southwesterly.
Outlook
Sunday will be quite cool and fresh, Met Eireann predicts, with a mix of bright or sunny spells and scattered showers; most of the showers will occur in the west and north.
Temperatures will max out at 11° to 14° in moderate to fresh southwesterly winds. Overnight, this will drop to around 6° to 8°.
The weather over the coming week will be changeable and unsettled, Met Eireann says, but rainfall amounts will be well below normal in the east and south. It will be relatively cool also, but no significant frost expected.