Showers to clear and bright afternoon ahead

Weather update from Met Éireann

Showery rain will clear to the north this morning, clearing from north Ulster by around lunchtime. It will then be a bright day nationwide with a mix of sunshine and scattered showers, some heavy. A few thundery downpours may develop in parts of the southwest. Highest temperatures of 17 to 21 degrees with mostly moderate southerly winds.

There'll be good dry and clear spells in the north and east early tonight but showers in the south and west will become widespread across the country during the night. Some of the showers will be heavy and possibly thundery in nature. Lowest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees in light easterly or variable winds.

It will be a generally cloudy start on Saturday with showers or longer spells of rain. The cloud will break in some areas during the afternoon, especially in the south of the country allowing for some sunny spells to develop. However, the sunshine will spark off further showers, some of these will be heavy and thundery. Maximum temperatures of 14 to 18 degrees with moderate westerly breezes.

Showers will clear from the east and northeast of the country early on Saturday night and much of the country will become dry and clear for a time. However, later in the night, cloud will spread from the west with further scattered showers pushing eastwards over the country.

It will be rather cloudy for a time on Sunday with a few showers spreading from the west. It will become sunnier later in the day. Highest temperatures on Sunday of 15 to 18 degrees in moderate west to southwest winds. It will be mostly dry on Sunday night with just a few showers in the northwest. Lowest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees, coolest in the south and southeast under the clearer skies.

High pressure will steadily build near Ireland next week and the weather will turn drier.

It looks set to be a mainly dry day on Monday with a mix of cloudy periods and sunny spells. Maximum temperatures of 17 to 22 degrees with moderate to fresh southwest winds. On Monday night, outbreaks of rain and drizzle will spread from the Atlantic to affect some western and northern counties. Lowest temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees in moderate southwest winds.

On Tuesday, patchy rain and drizzle will clear to the south in the morning. It will then be a mostly dry day with spells of sunshine. Maximum temperatures of 16 to 21 degrees in moderate westerly winds.

Further outlook: It will become mainly dry on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with sunny spells and just isolated showers.