The weather will remain fairly unsettled for most this weekend, with temperatures set to be cooler than average for this time of year, according to Met Éireann.
It will be fresh and increasingly breezy today (Friday, March 22) with a mix of sunshine and showers. Showers will mainly affect western and northern areas at first, but will spread across the country during the day on a strong westerly breeze.
Some of the showers will be heavy with hail and a slight chance of lightning. Later in the day, showers may turn wintry on high ground. Highest temperatures will be 7° to 10°.
Tonight will see cold and windy weather with a mix of clear spells and showers, some of which will be heavy and prolonged with hail and thunder possible. Some wintry falls are also possible, mainly over the hills.
Lowest temperatures tonight are expected to be 1° to 4° in fresh to strong westerly winds. A touch of frost is likely in some sheltered spots.
Tomorrow (Saturday, March 23) will be a fairly windy day with a mix of sunny spells and showers, with the continued chance of hail and thunder. Some wintry falls are possible in the morning on high ground. Highest temperatures will be 7° to 10°, but feeling colder in a fresh to strong northwest breeze.
It will be cold and breezy tomorrow night, with clear spells and scattered showers. Lowest temperatures will be 2° to 5° with fresh and gusty northwest winds, moderating later in the night.
Sunday (March 24) will start out with dry weather in most areas with just the odd shower. However, rain will develop in the southwest during the morning, spreading across Connacht, Munster and south Leinster by afternoon. Rain will then extend nationwide in the evening.
Highest afternoon temperatures on Sunday should range from 8° to 11° with mostly light and variable breezes at first but a freshening southerly breeze will develop later on.
Sunday night will see widespread outbreaks of rain, with some heavy falls. Lowest temperatures are expected to be 5° to 9° with moderate to fresh south or southeast winds.
It looks set to be a cloudy and wet day on Monday (March 25), with outbreaks of rain. Some heavy falls are possible with the chance of some spot flooding. Maximum temperatures should be 8° to 11° in moderate southeast or variable winds.
Rain is expected to ease on Monday night with good dry and clear spells developing. Lowest temperatures are forecast at 3° to 6° in a moderate northeast breeze.