While most areas have been experiencing a predominantly settled period in recent days, albeit with the odd shower, the weather forecast for the coming weekend indicates a break in conditions.
According to Met Éireann, any lingering mist patches will clear this morning (Friday, June 18) to leave a dry day with sunny spells.
The best of the sunshine will be in the east and south of the country and highest temperatures will range from 14° in the northwest to 18° in the southeast with mostly light northerly breezes.
Friday night and Saturday weather forecast
The national forecaster has indicated that tonight will be dry with a mix of cloud and clear spells.
It will be another cold night with lowest temperatures of 3° to 7° generally, with some mist patches forming as light variable breezes fall calm at times.
Saturday morning will be dry with sunny spells. Cloud will increase from the west during the day with patchy rain or drizzle developing in the southwest towards the evening.
Highest temperatures tomorrow will range from 15° to 19°, or slightly cooler in the southwest, with south to southeast winds increasing moderate to occasionally fresh.
On Saturday night it will start mostly dry with just patchy rain and drizzle in the southwest. However, showery outbreaks of rain will extend across much of the country from the southeast as the night progresses.
Lowest temperatures on Saturday night will range from 10° to 12° as easterly winds ease light to moderate.
Break in conditions on Sunday
Thundery showers or longer spells of rain are forecast across the country on Sunday, but there will be some drier and brighter periods at times also.
Highest temperatures on Sunday are predicted to be 14° to 16° with mostly moderate northeasterly winds.
It will stay mostly cloudy on Sunday night with further thundery showers or longer spells of rain and lowest temperatures of 9° to 12° in light to moderate northerly breezes.
Weather forecast for next week
Further showers or longer spells of rain will continue on Monday, however, drier and brighter conditions will develop through the afternoon.
It will remain cool with highest temperatures of 14° to 16° in moderate northerly winds.
Spraying
According to Met Éireann, there will be opportunities for spraying in all areas throughout today (Friday).
The western half of the country will have spraying opportunities on Saturday morning before the arrival of afternoon rain.
Parts of the east will likely hold dry until later on Saturday evening and so will have a wider window for spraying on Saturday. There will be little to no spraying opportunities on Sunday and Monday due to rain.
Field conditions
Soils are generally dry or below saturation nationwide across all soil types. Soil moisture deficits generally range between 20-50mm with driest soils in eastern and northeastern coastal counties.
Field trafficability over the coming week will worsen in some areas due to the wet weather on the way.
Soils in parts of the west, southwest and north midlands will become saturated or waterlogged at times. However moisture levels in many soils elsewhere will remain well below saturation.