Weather: Dry day ahead with some sunny spells

Any frost, mist and fog will clear this morning to give a dry day with some sunny spells. However, cloud will gradually increase from the northwest as the day goes on. Afternoon highs of 9 to 11 degrees Celsius in mostly light westerly breezes.

Variable cloud and clear spells are forecast for tonight with lows of 0 to 5 degrees, coldest in the south and southeast of the province, where the longest clear spells are expected, with some frost forming by dawn. A few mist and fog patches are possible too in the mainly light southwest or variable breezes.

A dry but rather cloudy day is promised tomorrow, Thursday. The best of the limited sunshine will be in the east of the province. Highs of 9 to 12 degrees Celsius in light southerly or variable breezes.

Largely dry and bright for the rest of the working week with night-time frosts and fog patches. Becoming milder and more unsettled from the south over the weekend and into early next week.

Cold and dry on Thursday night with a mix of cloud and clear spells. Lowest temperatures of -1 to +3 degrees generally with frost forming, but less cold where low cloud, mist and fog prevail. Light southeast or variable breezes.

Mist and fog patches may be slow to clear in places on Friday morning, but once they do, it will be a dry day for most with a mix of cloud and sunny spells. Cloud will increase over southern counties as the day goes on, however, with some patchy rain or drizzle possible. Highest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees in light to moderate east to southeast breezes. Mostly cloudy and misty with patchy drizzle in Munster and south Leinster on Friday night with lowest temperatures ranging 4 to 8 degrees. Colder with clear spells further north with lows of -2 to + 3 degrees. Winds will be light northeast or variable in direction.

Looking ahead to the weekand and Saturday will be a cloudier day overall, with outbreaks of rain in Munster and south Leinster edging slowly northwards through the day and becoming light and patchy. It will likely hold mostly dry in parts of the north and northwest with the best of any sunny spells there. Highest temperatures of 9 to 13 degrees in light to moderate easterly breezes. Outbreaks of rain turning heavier in southern areas overnight, with drier conditions persisting further north. Lowest temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees generally, but colder under the clearer skies in northern and western areas with lows of 1 to 5 degrees. Light to moderate easterly breezes.

Sunday will be a cloudy day with patchy outbreaks of rain and drizzle. Highest temperatures of 9 to 13 degrees in light to moderate east to southeast breezes. Further outbreaks of rain and drizzle will likely spread northwards over the country on Sunday night. Mild and frost free, with lows ranging 7 to 11 degrees north to south. Light to moderate southeast breezes will be fresh at times on southern coasts.

Current indications for early next week suggest generally milder than average but overall unsettled conditions with showers or longer spells of rain continuing to feed up from the south, with the wettest conditions in the south and west.