Rain on the way

This morning will be breezy, cloudy and mostly dry apart from some drizzle at times. The latest weather forecast from Met Éireann says that, around noon, a band of rain will move into the west off the Atlantic and will track eastwards through the afternoon, followed by clearer conditions from the west by evening. Highest temperatures of 10 to 12 degrees with fresh to strong southwesterly breezes, easing and veering westerly in the clearance of the rain.

Tonight will be mostly dry with clear spells, although a few light showers will drift in from the west overnight. Lowest temperatures of 1 to 5 degrees generally, possibly colder locally in any long clear spells. Light to moderate south to southwest winds, fresh along the west coast.

Wednesday morning will start out dry with sunny spells for much of Ulster. It will become cloudy and breezy through the morning, with showery rain moving in from the Atlantic. This rain will then move eastwards through the afternoon, followed by scattered showers in the evening. Highest temperatures of 9 to 11 degrees with fresh southwesterly winds developing, strong at times in western areas.

The outlook for the coming days is for unsettled conditions with showers or longer spells of rain. Turning cold later in the week with some wintry precipitation possible.

Wednesday night will see a mix of clear spells and scattered showers, most frequent in the west and northwest. Showers will turn to a more prolonged period of rain in the northwest later in the night. Lowest temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees with light to moderate south to southwest winds.

On Thursday there will be sunny spells and heavy, blustery showers of rain or hail. The showers will mainly affect the western half of the country during the morning but will become widespread as the day goes on. Rain will then develop in the west early in the evening. Highest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees with moderate to fresh and gusty southwesterly winds.

Rain in the west will move eastwards across the country early on Thursday night and will be followed by scattered heavy showers of rain or hail. This will introduce a colder airmass over Ireland and temperatures will fall to between 0 and 3 degrees, so some showers may turn wintry, especially on higher ground. Breezy too with fresh and gusty southwesterly winds.

Friday will be a cold and windy day with sunny spells and widespread heavy showers, some wintry with a risk of hail and thunder. Afternoon temperatures of just 3 to 7 degrees, and feeling colder with the added wind chill brought about by fresh to strong and gusty westerly winds.

Widespread showers will continue early on Friday night, and again some showers will be wintry with a risk of hail and thunder. The showers will become less frequent and lighter overnight and will mainly affect the west and northwest. Westerly winds will be fresh to strong and gusty at first but will ease through the night. Lowest temperatures of 0 to 3 degrees.

On Saturday there will be scattered showers and some sunny spells. The showers will be most frequent in the west, with a good deal of dry weather further east. Southwesterly winds will be light to moderate during the morning but it will become breezy again through the afternoon. Highest temperatures of 9 to 11 degrees.

Saturday night will be windy with a band of rain moving eastwards across the country, becoming heavy at times. Lowest temperatures 4 to 8 degrees with fresh to strong southerly winds.

It looks like a wet and breezy start to the day on Sunday, with rain clearing southeastwards to sunny spells and showers from the northwest and winds easing. Afternoon temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees.