Dry weather conditions are expected in most areas of the country this weekend, with the odd light shower confined to the west and northwest according to the latest weekend weather forecast from the national meteorological office.
Met Eireann has said today (Friday, April 16) will be a mostly dry day with spells of hazy sunshine.
It will be cloudier though over the western half of the country with rain or drizzle at times, mainly in coastal counties.
Highest temperatures today will reach from 8° to 12° in light to moderate southerly winds, fresh at times on Atlantic coasts.
Weekend weather forecast
It will be mainly dry tonight with just some lingering drizzle in the west and northwest, according to the national forecaster.
It will bring a mix of cloud and clear spells with lowest temperatures of 4° to 7° generally dropping a degree or two further in the east and southeast in the best of the clear spells.
Some mist patches may form in light to moderate southerly winds, but winds will be fresh at times on Atlantic coasts.
Tomorrow, Saturday morning will bring a mix of cloud and hazy sunshine, the best of which will be in the east. Some light outbreaks of rain and drizzle will push in from the Atlantic, slowly extending into western parts of Munster, Connacht and Ulster during the afternoon.
Highest temperatures tomorrow will range from 9° to 13°, and it will be coolest in the southwest, in freshening southerly winds.
Tomorrow night, light outbreaks of rain and drizzle will continue, and will be a bit more persistent along Atlantic coasts.
It will be a milder night than recently, but largely cloudy, with lowest temperatures of 5° to 7°. Mist patches will develop in light to moderate southerly winds, but winds will be fresher along Atlantic coasts.
Sunday forecast
Sunday will be a mainly dull and cloudy day with light outbreaks of rain and drizzle with some mist patches and some hill and coastal fog lingering for much of the day.
It will hold mainly dry over much of Leinster and east Ulster though with highest temperatures of 8° to 11°, in light to moderate southerly winds.
Outbreaks of rain and drizzle will continue through Sunday night and it will stay cloudy with lowest temperatures of 5° to 7°.
Mist patches along with hill and coastal fog will develop too in mainly light to moderate southerly breezes.
Outlook for next week
Monday will be another mainly dull and cloudy day with further outbreaks of rain and drizzle and highest temperatures of 9° to 11° with drier conditions developing in the west later in the night.
The rain and drizzle will continue to clear eastwards on Tuesday with good sunny spells developing in the northwest in the afternoon with some evening sunshine for much of Ulster, Connacht and Munster.
Temperatures will continue to increase, reaching up to the mid-teens for much of the country next week and the current indication suggests that high pressure will continue to dominate our weather with mainly dry and settled conditions with good sunshine at times.
Conditions for farming
Today (Friday) will bring good spraying opportunities in most areas away from the west and northwest. However, outbreaks of rain over the weekend and into early next week will hinder spraying opportunities.
With below average rainfall over the past week, soils have continued to dry out and there has been good trafficability in all soil types.
Field conditions will gradually deteriorate over the weekend and into early next week. Poorly drained soils in the northwest and north will become saturated. However, elsewhere soils will remain drier with good trafficability.
There is also an orange level forest fire warning in operation for very high fire risk.