Weather cooler than normal for the time of year

Today will be mainly dry during the morning, with a few bright spells, but it will be mostly cloudy and a few patches of rain or drizzle may occur, mainly on western coasts.

The latest weather forecast from Met Éireann says a spell of more persistent rain will develop in western areas in the late afternoon, extending eastwards during the evening, with some heavy bursts. Clearer conditions, with scattered showers, will follow into the west later. Maximum temperatures 15 to 18 degrees. Winds moderate to fresh south to southwest, strong along the coast, veering northwesterly in the late evening and early night.

Rain will clear eastwards early tonight and good clear spells will develop overnight, but some scattered showers will occur, mainly in western coastal areas. Turning cold, with moderate northwesterly wind at first, later decreasing light. Patches of mist or fog will develop later. Minimum temperatures 5 to 7 degrees.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) will be a cool but bright day, with sunny spells and scattered showers. Max. 12 to 14 degrees, in mostly light southerly or variable breezes.

The national summary is for changeable and unsettled weather for the rest of the week and weekend. Cooler than normal up to and including Saturday, but temperatures will recover a little by the end of the weekend.

Wednesday night: Rain will extend northeastwards across the country with some heavy bursts. Min. 5 to 8 Celsius, in mostly light to moderate easterly or variable winds, but strong westerly winds will develop on Munster and south Leinster coasts.

Thursday is promised quite cold and mostly cloudy, with occasional showers, merging to give longer spells of rain in places, with some heavy bursts in places. Some dry spells also. Max. 10 to 13 degrees, in mostly moderate variable winds at first, but strong to gale force westerly winds on Munster and south Leinster coasts. Winds later becoming moderate to fresh northwesterly, strong in coastal areas.

Quite windy overnight, with clear spells and scattered showers. Min. 4 to 7 C.

The outlook for Friday is for cool and breezy weather, with sunny spells and scattered showers. Max. 12 to 15 degrees, in moderate to fresh northwesterly winds, strong on exposed coasts. Mainly dry on Friday night, with clear spells. Min. 2 to 5 degrees.

Looking ahead to the weekend and Saturday is given for a mainly dry day, with bright or sunny spells and light winds, but a little patchy light rain or drizzle may occur in parts of the southwest and west. Cold overnight, with lows of 1 to 4 degrees.

Rain will extend from the Atlantic on Sunday. The day will be cool at first, but becoming a little milder, with moderate southerly winds, veering southwesterly.

Current indications for next week suggest changeable and unsettled weather will continue.