In What has been a very pleasant spell of weather across Ireland over the last 3 to 4 weeks it is set to come to a end next week with a return to rain which will be good news for some and bad news for others.

Saturday will start of with any mist or fog lifting to give way to sunny spells but some cloud also. There is a risk that fog may linger for a time into the afternoon across south Munster. Saturday will be dry for many areas but some isolated showers could occur in the afternoon or evening across some weathern parts. Temperatures on Saturday will range between 15C to 20C warmest in the west.

Sunday will be a cooler day with the risk of some drizzle to start across the south but this will clear with bright and sunny weather extending from Ulster over the afternoon and evening, There is a risk that a few heavy showers will occur across Munster and South Leinster over the afternoon. Sunday will be a cooler day with temperature between 11C to 15C. Sunday night will see a micture of cloud and clear spells with the risk of some showers across the south mainly.

Monday will see a mixture of cloud and sunny spells with some isolated showers across the northwest and north over the afternoon. Temperatures will range between 11C to 15C. Monday night will be dry with good clear spells in places but it will turn cold with the risk of some frost with temperatures dropping as low as 0C to 5C coldest in the midlands.

Tuesday morning will start of with bright and sunny spells and it will be dry, Later in the morning cloud will increase from the west with rain following from the Atlantic over the afternoon and evening, It will turn cloudy across the eastern half of Ireland over the later afternoon and evening but should remain dry until nightfall. Temperatures will range between 11C to 14C on Tuesday.

Rain will extend to all areas overnight with some heavy falls in places, Clearer weather will follow from the Atlantic later in the night extending eastwards overnight.

Wednesday morning will see further heavy rain across the southwest and south for a time before clearing to the east. Wednesday day will be a showery day across Ireland with the heaviest of these showers across the south and east.

The latest indication for the end of next week is for further unsettled weather at times with rain. Next week then looks to turn really unsettle with further heavy rain with the risk of some thunderstorm activity but this is yet uncertain.

With high pressure dominating the weather for most of last week, conditions were mainly dry across the country. Rainfall accumulations were well below average for much of the country. The northern half of the country was almost completely dry with rainfall amounts of less than 6 % of normal. The south experienced more rainfall in the last week but amounts were still below average in all areas apart from the southeast The forecast for the next week sees high pressure breaking down and low pressure systems brining showery conditions to our shores. In general rainfall totals will be small with 3 to 10mm expected for much of the country. There are some spots along the coast that may see near norm or slightly above average rainfall accumulations, although there would be a degree of uncertainty in terms of amounts for these areas. Current indications suggest approximately 100 to 120% accumulations for parts of the southwest and northwest.