A cold and unsettled week is on the cards with rain or showers for the coming days, but some dry sunny periods are expected towards the end of the week, according to Met Éireann.
Today will be a cold, blustery day with sunny spells and occasional showers. The showers will be most frequent and heaviest in the west and north with the risk of hail and thunder.
The best of the dry spells will be in the east. Highest temperatures of 6° to 9° are likely but strong and gusty west to northwest winds will make it feel quite chilly.
Lowest temperatures of 1° to 4° are expected while west to north-west winds will be generally moderate, but fresh to strong and gusty along northern and western coasts.
Met Éireann notes that in general drying conditions will be poor while spraying opportunities will be limited due to unsettled conditions and fresh winds.
Regarding field conditions, most soils are currently saturated or waterlogged. These conditions will persist through the coming week, the national meteorological office says.
Tomorrow
It will be showery again tomorrow, especially across the north and west of the country. The showers will merge into longer spells of rain in parts of the north for a time.
Strong west to north-west winds will ease through the day and a lot of places will see dry and sunny spells while highest temperatures will only reach 7° to 9°.
Cloud will increase from the west bringing patchy rain along Atlantic coasts towards dawn while overnight lows of 1° to 4° are expected in mostly moderate westerly winds.
Outlook
A dry and bright start is expected in the east on Wednesday but rain will spread across the country from the west through the afternoon.
Rain will be heavy and persistent and may turn to sleet in places, especially over high ground in the north.
The rain will clear to showers in the west later in the day, with a risk of hail and thunder there. It will be cold with highest temperatures of just 5° to 8°.
It will be cold with widespread frost and lows of -1° to 2° while moderate to fresh northerly breezes are also expected.
On Thursday, further windy conditions are predicted with outbreaks of rain or sleet in the east, but clearer drier weather will follow from the west later as northerly winds ease.
Scattered showers will affect Atlantic coastal counties while highest temperatures of 6° to 8° are on the cards.
Friday will be a cool crisp day with good spells of sunshine and highest temperatures of 6° to 9°.
A sharp frost will develop on Friday night with overnight lows of -2° to +1°. Slack winds will allow patches of mist and fog to form, Met Éireann says.