Met Éireann is predicting a fairly dry week ahead, with rainfall levels below normal in most parts for this time of year – however, after a mild start to the week it will turn colder from midweek, with frost in places.
Today, Monday, March 23, will see frost in the east and south of the country clearing in the morning, giving way to a dry day in most areas, with bright and sunny spells, especially in the east and south.
Atlantic coasts will be cloudier, with patchy rain, drizzle and mist. Highest temperatures today will be 10° to 13°, in mostly light to moderate southerly winds – but with fresh to strong winds on Munster, Connacht and Ulster coasts.
Lowest temperatures tonight will be 4° to 7°, in mostly moderate southerly winds, though again, these will be fresh to strong on Atlantic coasts.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24, will again be dry in most areas, mainly in the south and east, with patchy rain and drizzle again appearing on Atlantic coasts. Highest temperatures tomorrow will be 10° to 14°, in moderate to fresh southerly winds, though again, these winds will be strong on Atlantic coasts.
Tuesday night, then, will remain dry in most areas, but rain and drizzle will be seen on Atlantic coasts, which will be persistent in the most westerly parts, with heavier bursts of rain possible. It will be a mild night, with lowest temperatures of between 5° to 8°, in mostly moderate southerly breezes.
On Wednesday, March 25, rain and drizzle will become more widespread across Ulster, Connacht and western coastal areas of Munster. It will be mainly dry elsewhere, but a few spots of light rain or drizzle in places are possible.
Over the course of Wednesday night and Thursday morning, March 26, rain and drizzle will extend to other areas, but will become more patchy. Lowest temperatures will be 4° to 6°, though colder in the north-west, with figures of just 1° to 4°.
Thursday will start off with patchy rain and drizzle, but it will brighten up from the north-west, with sunny spells developing, and just a few isolated showers, mainly along the north and north-west coasts.
It will also turn cold on Thursday, with highest temperatures of 7° to 10°, in light to moderate north to north-west breezes. Night-time lowest temperatures will be 0° to 4°, with frost developing in many areas.
Turning to Friday, March 27, it will be cold and mostly dry, with sunny spells. A few scattered showers will be seen in the west and north, which will turn wintry on Friday night in parts of Ulster and Connacht, mainly near the coasts.
Next weekend is set to be cold and bright, with some scattered showers, mainly in the north and north-east on Saturday, March 28, which will become more widespread on Sunday, March 29, with a risk of wintry showers later on Sunday. Frost will also develop at times over the weekend.