Unsettled weather, getting colder towards the weekend

Weather update from Met Éireann

Unsettled in the short term with some rain or showers, some of those wintry over the weekend as it turns colder. Windy at times too. Becoming settled later in the weekend and early next week with mainly dry weather and light winds, but it'll be cold with some frost and fog.

That's the latest weather outlook from Met Éireann.

This morning will be dry in many areas for a time, but will become increasingly cloudy. Rain will develop in the west and will spread eastwards to all areas through the morning and early afternoon. It will clear from western areas this evening. Becoming windy as southerly winds increase fresh to strong and gusty with gales for a time in coastal parts of the west. Highest temperatures of 9 to 13 degrees

Early tonight, rain will clear eastwards with clear spells and well scattered showers following. Many areas will become dry. Fresh to strong southerly winds will become westerly as rain clears and will ease overnight. Lowest temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees, a little higher in the southwest.

On Thursday, rain will spread eastwards across Ireland and will gradually clear during the afternoon with scattered showers following. Moderate southerly winds will become northwesterly as rain clears and will increase fresh to strong and very gusty and reaching gale force at times near west and north coasts in the late afternoon and evening. Highest temperatures of 8 to 13 degrees.

Still rather windy at first on Thursday night with scattered showers too for a time, but the winds will ease and the showers will become isolated and mainly confined to coastal parts of the north and west. There'll be some clear spells, but it'll become cloudier from the west overnight. Lowest temperatures of 1 to 5 degrees in fresh and gusty northwest winds, decreasing light to moderate westerly or variable. There's a chance of some frost and ice, especially further east.

There's still a little uncertainty in the forecast for Friday and Friday night, as it depends on the track and development of an area of low pressure, which currently looks set to track eastwards across the south of Ireland. At the moment the most likely scenario is that it'll be a cloudy day on Friday, with some heavy rain and localised flooding, mainly across the southern half of the country. Rain will be lighter further north.

Cool with highest temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees generally, but milder in southern areas, ranging from 9 to 13 degrees. Becoming rather windy in southern areas with fresh to strong and gusty cyclonic variable winds developing, the winds will lighter though further north.

A more northerly track to the area of low pressure, would give more widespread heavy rain and localised flooding right across the country and could result in very windy weather, but it looks like this is a less likely scenario. Keep an eye on forecast updates for any changes though.

The rain will clear southeastwards on Friday night with clear spells and some showers following, some of hail, especially into the north and west. It's going to turn colder, so some of those showers will fall as sleet too, especially over higher ground. Lowest temperatures of 0 to 4 degrees, with some frost and ice likely, especially across the midlands and east. It'll be rather windy with fresh to strong and gusty northwest winds.

It looks set to be cold and windy on Saturday with sunny spells and blustery showers, some of hail and sleet and with some snow showers likely over higher ground. The showers will be most widespread across the north and west, but will make their way across the country too in fresh to strong and gusty northwest winds. There's a chance of some thunder too, mainly near the north and west coast. Highest temperatures of just 4 to 8 degrees and feeling even colder due to the added wind chill factor.

Cold and breezy on Saturday night with clear spells and further showers, some wintry, with the showers mainly in the north and parts of the west, but becoming more isolated overnight. Lowest temperatures of 1 to 5 degrees, with the chance of some frost and ice in sheltered parts.

Cold, bright and breezy on Sunday with sunshine and just a few isolated showers, mainly in northern parts early in the day. Highest temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees in moderate to fresh and occasionally gusty north to northwest winds, stronger in coastal parts of the north and west.

The winds will ease on Sunday night, becoming light to moderate northerly, and it will be dry with clear spells. Lowest temperatures -1 to +3 degrees with some frost and ice.

Monday will be cold but with high pressure in charge, it'll be dry and bright with plenty of sunshine. Highest temperatures of just 4 to 8 degrees in light to moderate northerly winds.

Monday night will be very cold and dry with clear spells. There'll be a widespread sharp to severe frost and ice. Some fog or freezing fog will form too as it'll be calm. Lowest temperatures of -5 to -1 degrees.

The frost and ice will clear on Tuesday morning, but the fog will be slow enough to clear and may linger in some parts through the day. There'll be some sunshine though elsewhere. Highest temperatures of just 2 to 7 degrees, coldest where the fog lingers, in light variable breezes.

Tuesday night is likely to be another cold, dry, frosty and potentially foggy night.

There's uncertainty from Wednesday with high pressure trying to hold on, but with a chance of some weather fronts trying to move in too.