The coming weekend will see some drier weather in parts of the country, but temperatures will remain low and there will be some scattered showers in some areas.
According to Met Éireann, today, Friday December 3, will start mainly dry with some bright spells, but cloud will quickly build from the Atlantic this morning, bringing patchy rain and drizzle to Connacht, Leinster and Munster during the afternoon.
It will remain drier in the north with isolated showers. The rain will clear to scattered showers by early evening.
Highest afternoon temperatures are expected to range from 6° to 9°C in a light variable breeze.
Early tonight a band of showery rain will move into western areas and spread eastwards across the country.
The rain will clear into the Irish Sea overnight with scattered showers following behind, some of which will be heavy with the potential for hail and sleet, particularly over higher ground.
Frost will develop in some sheltered areas with lowest temperatures of 0° to 4° in moderate to fresh westerly winds.
Weekend weather
Looking at the weekend weather forecast, tomorrow, Saturday, will be a cold, blustery and showery day.
Showers will be most frequent in the north and west, some heavy with the potential for hail, sleet and isolated thunderstorms.
Daytime temperatures will reach just 3° to 6° in moderate to fresh west to northwest winds, according to the national forecaster.
On Saturday night, it will become largely dry with long clear spells but showers will continue in northern and western coastal areas, with the slight possibility of sleet on higher ground.
Lowest temperatures on Saturday night will range from 0° to 4° in moderate northwest winds.
Sunday is expected to be a largely dry and bright day with long spells of sunshine and just isolated light showers along western and northwestern coasts.
Highest temperatures of 5° to 8° in a light to moderate west to northwest breeze, backing southwest later.
Cloud will thicken from the Atlantic early on Sunday night, with rain moving into the west and southwest. The rain will spread across the country overnight, turning to sleet at times over higher ground in the north.
Lowest temperatures of -2 to +3 degrees will occur late Sunday evening or early in the night, as the rain will bring milder conditions overnight. Moderate to fresh southerly winds veering westerly later.
Next week
Any remaining rain will clear to the east on Monday morning. It will become dry in many areas with sunny spells, but scattered showers will feed into the west and north through the day, with hail showers possible.
Highest afternoon temperatures on Monday are expected to range from 4° to 7° in moderate westerly winds, easing later.
It will become windy on Monday night as southeasterly winds increase fresh to strong. Rain will spread from the southwest overnight, turning heavy in places.
Lowest temperatures on Monday night of 0° to 4° but becoming milder as the rain spreads.
Tuesday will be a windy day with strong and gusty southerly winds.
Rain will clear through the morning with heavy, blustery showers following for the rest of the day. Some showers may be of hail. Highest temperatures of 4° to 8°.
Looking further ahead into next week, early indications are that it will be generally cold and unsettled for the rest of the week and into the weekend.
Winds will gradually ease through Wednesday and Wednesday night, but there will be further showers and spells of rain.
Field conditions
All soils are currently saturated, with poorly drained soils, and some moderately drained soils waterlogged in Connacht and west Ulster.
Over the next seven days, soil conditions are expected to deteriorate a little more, poorly draining soil will likely become waterlogged in all areas with saturated to locally waterlogged conditions expected in other soil types.