Weather conditions will generally be unsettled this week with heavy rain at times, turning milder from midweek with daytime temperatures increasing above the October average.

Met Éireann has said that today (Monday, October 4) will bring a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers, with showers this morning most frequent and heavy at times in the west and northwest.

Cloud will build from the southwest through the day, bringing showery outbreaks of rain which will gradually spread across Munster, Leinster and parts of Connacht.

The rain will turn heavy and thundery at times, bringing the risk of localised flooding.

Tonight, there will be outbreaks of rain that will continue over east Leinster, turning heavy at times with the risk of localised flooding.

The rain will gradually clear into the Irish Sea, followed by scattered showers and clear spells from the northwest. There will be lowest temperatures of 5° to 9°.

Weather for the week ahead

Tomorrow (Tuesday), there will be a bright start to the day, with scattered showers and sunny spells. Showers will gradually become lighter and more isolated through the day.

It will be generally cloudy on Wednesday with outbreaks of rain and drizzle in the west spreading eastwards across the country through the morning and afternoon.

The rain will be most persistent over the northern half of the country, where it will occasionally turn heavy. It will be a milder day with highest temperatures of 14° to 17° in moderate southerly winds.

Thursday will be a dull day with a more persistent band of rain pushing into western coastal counties in the morning and spreading eastwards across the country through the afternoon, turning heavy in places.

It is expected to be warm and humid with highest temperatures of 16° to 19° in moderate to fresh southerly winds.

On Thursday night there will be outbreaks of rain continuing, with some further heavy bursts. Temperatures aren’t expected to fall below 13° to 15°.

Friday will be a cloudy day with continued rain and drizzle, turning heavy at times.

Drying, spraying, field conditions

The national forecaster has said that drying conditions will generally be poor this coming week with cool temperatures and showers or longer spells of rain initially.

After it warms up from the middle of the week it will generally be cloudy and humid along with bands of rain, mainly over the western half of the country.

Spraying opportunities will generally be poor with showers or rain along with breezy conditions at times.

There will be some limited opportunities later on Tuesday. Indications are for some further opportunities in the southeast during Thursday and Friday with drier intervals developing there.

All soil types with the exception of the southeast and east are saturated or waterlogged, especially in the northwest.

In the southeast and east, soil moisture deficits range from 15mm to 30mm.

With above average rainfall expected over the western half of the country in the coming week, soil moisture deficits will decrease further with more poorly-drained soils becoming waterlogged.

However, soils in parts of the southeast and east will remain unsaturated and trafficable.