Met Éireann has said that the bank holiday weekend will be mild, breezy and cloudy, with some light rain and drizzle at times.
There will be good long dry spells in parts as the high pressure continues to dominate over Ireland.
However, the national forecaster said that the weather will become more unsettled next week with fluctuating temperatures, along with heavy rain at times.
Bank holiday
The national forecaster said that today (Friday, February 2) will be mainly cloudy and dull with some light rain and drizzle, which will be more persistent in the north and west later.
The southwest to west winds will be moderate to fresh, stronger along western and northwestern coasts. It will be mild with highest temperatures of 11° to 13°C.
Light rain and drizzle tonight with some mist and fog forming. It will be mostly dry in north Connacht and Ulster. Lowest temperatures of 5° to 6° in the north, increasing to 10° or 11° further south in moderate winds.
Saturday (February 3) will be cloudy with scattered outbreaks of rain and drizzle, mostly dry in Ulster and north Connacht where there will be some bright spells. Highest temperatures of 9° to 12° in light to moderate westerly winds.
Cloudy with scattered rain and drizzle on Saturday night, some mist and fog developing. Lowest temperatures of 5° to 9° in moderate westerly winds.
Rain and drizzle will become confined to Ulster during Sunday (February 2), becoming drier and brighter elsewhere with the best of the sunny spells in Munster and south Leinster. Highest temperatures of 10° to 13° in moderate to fresh southwest winds.
It will be mostly dry and cloudy on Sunday night, some light rain and drizzle in the west. Lowest temperatures of 6° to 9°, the southwest winds will be fresh and gusty at times in coastal areas.
Bank holiday Monday (February 3) will be cloudy and mainly dry, some light rain and drizzle in the west. It will be a breezy day with gusty southwest winds, highest temperatures of 10° to 12°.
A cold front will arrive on Monday night bringing some heavy rain in the north and west.
The rain will move down across the country during Tuesday (February 4), becoming persistent and heavy at times. It will be mild for much of the day but drier and colder weather will follow from the north later as the rain eases.
It will be cold on Tuesday night with lowest temperatures of -1° to 4°, coldest in the north with some ice and frost forming.
Met Éireann
Met Éireann said that rainfall will be below average until the end of the St. Brigid’s Bank Holiday weekend.
The rain will be heavier into next week with the possibility of weather warnings being issued.
The next seven days will be considerably milder than average. Soil temperatures are currently 1.7° to 3° above normal, ranging from 6° to 8° and this will continue in the mild conditions.
Over the coming week, drying conditions will be generally moderate on account of rain and drizzle most days, there will be limited opportunities for spraying.
With outbreaks of rain and drizzle expected over the coming week, there will be no significant change to soil conditions, with all soils remaining saturated. Poorly drained soils are likely to become waterlogged with poor trafficability.