Ireland weather: mix of cloud and sunshine today with temperatures to fall later this week

There will be just a few scattered showers, mostly in the north and northwest of the country with highs of 12 to 16 degrees.

Tonight will be cold, clear and mostly dry with some isolated showers on north facing coasts. Cloud will begin to form over Munster and south Leinster later in the night.

Temperatures will fall to lows of 2 to 7 degrees, possibly even lower in some areas.

That cloud will persist over Munster and south Leinster into Wednesday morning, bringing some outbreaks of rain, some of it possibly heavy.

It will be drier further north with some spells of sunshine and a few well scattered showers. Highest temperatures on Wednesday will range from 11 to 14 degrees.

Mixed weather is predicted for the rest of the week with temperatures turning "cold for the time of year".

Southern areas will see rain showers continue on Wednesday night with some outbreaks extending into eastern and northeastern areas. It will be mostly dry elsewhere with just a few showers.

Thursday will be cold with showers and longer spells of rain expected in the east and northeast. Some showers will be heavy with a chance of isolated hail and thunderstorms. Highest temperatures on Thursday will range from 9 to 13 degrees.

There is another bright, sunny day on the way on Friday however, with just some scattered showers, most frequent in the north and northwest. Those showers will ease in the evening, becoming more isolated.

The early outlook for the weekend shows a mixed day on Saturday, but conditions may turn wet and windy on Sunday and into early next week.