Weather: Frosty morning to give way to rain

This morning will be dry in many areas at first, with widespread frost and a risk of icy stretches, clearing gradually. However, there will be further scattered showers in western areas, some wintry.

The latest weather forecast from Met Éireann says a spell of more persistent rain will extend from the east during the morning and early afternoon, with a risk of some wintry falls, mainly over high ground. Becoming very windy also, strong northwest winds developing, up to gale force on coasts. Maximum temperatures 5 to 8 degrees.

Very windy overnight, with further outbreaks of showery rain at first, but clearer mainly dry conditions will extend from the east, with just a few scattered showers persisting in western coastal areas, some wintry. Minimum temperatures 3 to 5 degrees, with fresh to strong northwesterly winds, easing by morning.

Brightening up on Saturday with some sunny spells developing, but scattered showers will continue, most of them in coastal areas. Some of the showers may be wintry, mainly over high ground. Very cold, with maximum temperatures of 4 to 8 degrees, with moderate to fresh northerly winds decreasing mostly light to moderate during the day.

Conditions will remain very cold up to and including Wednesday next, with frost at night and a risk of icy stretches. Risk of wintry precipitation at times also, but good dry intervals also.

Saturday night: Mainly dry, with clear spells, but some further scattered showers will continue, mainly on northern, western and southwestern coasts, some possibly wintry.

Widespread frost, with a risk of icy stretches. Fog patches also, with the risk of some dense pockets, as winds slacken further. Some freezing fog also. Minimum temperatures 0 to minus 3 degrees generally, but one or two degrees higher on some coasts.

Sunday should be mainly dry, with variable cloud cover. Very cold and frosty to start, with fog, gradually clearing. However, frost and fog may linger in some areas for much of the day. Maximum temperatures 3 to 7 degrees, in calm conditions.

Later Sunday, outbreaks of rain will develop in the southwest, extending across most of Munster and possibly the far south of Leinster on Sunday night, with freshening easterly winds. Mainly dry elsewhere, with just a few coastal showers. Very cold, with frost and a risk of icy patches. Minimum temperatures 0 to 4 degrees, highest in Munster.

On Monday, rain in the south at first will clear southwards, giving way to a dry day in many areas, with bright or sunny spells developing, but scattered showers also, mainly in northern and eastern coastal areas, some possibly wintry. Very cold, with maximum temperatures of only 3 to 7 degrees, in light to moderate northeasterly breezes. Very cold and frosty overnight, with lows of minus 2 to plus 2 degrees, but mainly dry.

Tuesday is set to be a cold, bright day, with sunny spells. Dry in many areas, but some scattered showers will occur, mainly in southwest, west and northern coastal counties. Max. 4 to 7 degrees, in mostly light to moderate north to northwest breezes.

Mainly dry overnight, but very cold and frosty, with a risk of freezing fog. Min. 0 to minus 3 degrees.

Looking ahead to Wednesday and it's expected to still be cold, with frost and fog clearing slowly during the morning, giving way to a bright and mostly dry day.

However, current indications are for a spells of breezy wet weather to extend from the Atlantic late Wednesday and Wednesday night, introducing less cold conditions.

Thursday to Saturday: Current indications are for milder but unsettled conditions.