A cool, blustery start to the week will turn mild and wet as low pressure continues to drive the weather pattern, according to Met Éireann.

It will be mostly cloudy this morning with outbreaks of rain, which will be most persistent across the northeast.

This rain will clear northeastwards through the morning and will be followed by sunny spells and scattered showers countrywide.

Some showers will turn heavy, with a risk of hail and isolated thunderstorms, especially in western areas during the evening.

It will be a blustery day with moderate to fresh southwesterly winds, strong near coasts. Highest temperatures will hold at 10° to 13°, the national meteorological office says.

Tonight will be blustery with scattered showers, some heavy with a risk of hail and isolated thunderstorms.

Showers will be heaviest and most frequent across the western half of the country, with parts of the east and southeast staying mostly dry.

Lowest temperatures of 5° to 8° are expected with moderate to fresh and gusty south to southwest winds, strong around the coast.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow will be a cool and blustery day with sunny spells and showers, Met Éireann says.

The showers, some of them heavy and prolonged with hail and isolated thunderstorms, will mostly affect western parts of the country during the morning, but will extend to all areas during the afternoon.

Moderate to fresh southwesterly winds will persist and will be strong near all coasts, while highest temperatures of 9° to 11° are expected.

Showers will become confined to the northwest early tomorrow night with most other places seeing dry and clear conditions at first.

However, cloud and rain will quickly move into the west and southwest and will extend countrywide overnight.

Met Éireann notes that rain is expected to be heaviest in the west. Light to moderate southerly winds will increase fresh to strong and gusty overnight. Lowest temperatures will drop to around 5° to 8°, it was added.

Thursday

Thursday will be wet and windy with spells of rain in all areas. Rain will be heaviest and most persistent in western coastal counties with a heightened risk of flooding here.

The day will be milder than of late, with afternoon temperatures of 13° to 15°, in fresh and gusty southwesterly winds, strong to near gale force along coasts in the west and south.

Thursday night will be cloudy, misty and humid with rain persisting in most areas. Rain will be heavy in the west and south, maintaining the risk of flooding, but lighter and patchier in the northeast and east.

In addition, breezy conditions will continue, with fresh and gusty southwesterly winds, strong to near gale force in coastal parts of the west and south. Lowest temperatures of 10° to 13° are forecast.

Farming and field conditions

Drying conditions will generally be poor for much of the time over the next week, though there will be limited drying at times between rain or showers, especially in the east and southeast. Spraying conditions will also be limited.

Regarding field conditions, all soils are currently saturated or close to saturation, with some poorly drained soils waterlogged in most areas.

With further unsettled conditions and above average rainfall expected in the coming week, soils will continue to be saturated while moderately drained soils will likely become waterlogged in many areas also.