Cold and largely dry day ahead

Unsettled and generally cold with heavy showers later in the week, some of hail, sleet and possibly snow on higher levels. That's the latest bulletin from Met Éireann.

A cold and fresh start with any frost clearing through the morning. Today will be dry in many areas with spells of crisp winter sunshine. However scattered showers of rain or hail will affect Ulster and Atlantic counties. Highest temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees in a moderate northwest wind, winds stronger near coasts of Ulster.

Tonight will be cold and clear with a widespread frost developing as temperatures fall to between 0 and -3 degrees. It will be dry with just the odd shower possible near northeastern coasts. Northwest breezes will fall light, becoming near calm in many areas.

Frost and icy patches will slowly clear during the morning tomorrow, Wednesday, for another cold and dry day with plenty of sunshine. Highest temperatures of just 3 to 6 degrees, with a light westerly breeze or near calm conditions.

Becoming windier early on Wednesday night with southerly winds increasing fresh to strong and gusty. Rain will spread from the west overnight to all areas, briefly falling as sleet on higher ground. Cold with frost forming early in the night over the eastern half of the country, in lows of -3 to +2 degrees. Becoming milder overnight with the rain.

Wet and windy to start to Thursday, with rain clearing eastwards to widespread showers of rain, hail and sleet through the morning. Bright or sunny at times between showers. Showers will become increasingly heavy with a risk of thunderstorms. It will remain quite windy for the day with fresh to strong and gusty southwest winds, with onshore gales on Atlantic coasts. Highest afternoon temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees.

Heavy or thundery showers will continue to feed in from the west overnight on Thursday in moderate to fresh westerly winds. Showers will be of rain, hail or sleet, possibly falling as snow over higher ground. Lowest temperatures of 0 to +4 degrees.

Friday is promised another breezy and showery day with bright spells, and moderate to fresh westerly winds. Showers may fall as sleet in the morning. It will turn cloudier in the afternoon. Highest temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees. Turning windy overnight with a spell of rain moving in across the country from the Atlantic, with heavy falls in places. Southwest winds will increase fresh to strong, and it will become milder overnight.

A breezy day again on Saturday with rain clearing eastwards in the morning to frequent showers, some heavy, interspersed with bright or sunny periods. Highest afternoon temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees.

A somewhat calmer day is in store Sunday with a spell of rain moving in from the southwest. Cold to start but it will become milder later in the day.

Currently it looks like it will continue unsettled into Monday with further rainfall.