The weekend weather forecast suggests a mild weekend when the sun shines, but some showers of rain are also likely, as farmers keep a keen eye on when they can get the first cut of silage done.
According to Met Éireann, it will be dull this morning (Friday, May 5) with further rain over the northern half of the country.
The rain will gradually clear, with sunny spells and showers following from the south, some heavy and possibly thundery, with spot flooding possible.
Highest temperatures will range from 14° to 18°C with light to moderate southerly breezes.
Residual showers will continue overnight with some mist and fog setting in too and lowest temperatures of 8° to 11°.
Weekend weather
Tomorrow Saturday (May 6) will start with a mix of cloud and sunny spells with widespread slow-moving showers, heaviest into the afternoon and evening with possible thundery downpours.
Highest temperatures will generally range from 15° to 18°, in light to moderate southerly winds.
It will become drier early on Saturday night under broken cloud with lowest temperatures of 6° to 9°, with light southerly breezes.
On Sunday, there is expected to be sunny spells and scattered light showers during the morning and early afternoon, followed later by cloudier skies as rain and drizzle gradually extends countrywide, last to arrive to the east.
Highest temperatures will range 14° to 19°, warmest in the east, in moderate south to southwest winds.
Heavy rain will follow overnight on Sunday, clearing into the Irish Sea before morning. Low cloud and mist will occur too. It will be very mild with lowest temperatures of 10°-13°, in moderate south to southwest winds.
Outlook for next week
Monday looks like it will be a day of sunny spells and scattered passing showers, with a few heavy ones possible.
According to the national forecaster, highest temperatures on Monday will range from 14° to 18°, in mostly moderate westerly winds.
It will become mostly dry overnight on Monday with clear spells to start. However, cloud will thicken before dawn from the west with patchy rain or drizzle developing.
Lowest overnight temperatures could reach from 7° to 10° with light to moderate southwesterly breezes.
Outbreaks of rain in the west on Tuesday will spread eastwards, with sunny spells and isolated showers following. Highest temperatures of 12° to 16° are expected, with light southwesterly winds freshening and becoming westerly behind the rain.
Blight warning
Yesterday (Thursday May 4) Met Éireann issued a Status Yellow warning for potato blight for the entire country.
The national forecaster said that from this morning (Friday, May 5) until Monday (May 8), the weather conditions will be conducive to the spread of blight on early sown crops.
This will affect many coastal regions in the south and east, the risk is marginal in parts of the midlands and mid-west.