Cold week in store with scatterings of rain

A cold few days are expected for the rest of this week, according to Met Eireann, with some scatterings of rain.

It will be bright and mostly dry at first today in the east but cloudy in the west with outbreaks of rain, which will gradually spread further eastwards during the day.

Top temperatures will reach only 5° to 8° generally but 9° or 10° in parts of the west, south-west and along the south coast.

Winds will be mostly light south to southeasterly but moderate in the west for a time before veering southwesterly and easing later this morning.

Tonight will become mostly cloudy with outbreaks of rain over the east and south, but scattered showers will affect the west and north-west.

Tonight will not be as cold as the last few nights but there is still a slight risk of frost in some places as lowest temperatures fall to between -1° and 3°, Met Eireann warns.

Southerly winds will be light with some patches of mist or fog forming.

Drying conditions will be poor generally, occasionally moderate, though spraying conditions will be good outside showers until Friday and the weekend, when poor conditions are expected.

Regarding field conditions, most soils are trafficable at the moment due to the less-than-normal rainfall.

However, poorly-drained soil in the north-west and some western coastal fringes may be waterlogged.

Up to Friday, most soils will continue to be trafficable with the exception of some poorly-drained soils in the north-west.

Away from eastern coasts, soils are expected to be near saturation or waterlogged in moderately and poorly-drained soils by the end of next weekend.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow will start dull or cloudy in the east and south-east with rain clearing in the morning, but some brighter and drier weather is expected elsewhere with showers and sunny spells in the west and north-west at first.

The showers and sunny spells will extend eastwards during the afternoon, Met Eireann forecasts.

Top temperatures will reach 7° to 11°, with coldest conditions expected in the north. Winds will be mostly light southwesterly.

There will be the odd shower but most parts of the country will be dry for the evening and overnight on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, Thursday will bring a bright, fresh day with a good deal of dry weather – though some occasional showers will also appear along western and northern counties.

Temperatures will max out at 7° to 10° in westerly breezes, according to Met Eireann.

Finally, a dry start to the day is expected Friday, but it will soon become wet and windy as heavy rain spreads eastwards and southerly winds strengthen.