Met Éireann forecast mild weekend ahead of cold snap with temperatures set to drop below freezing next week

A mostly cloudy Friday will bring scattered patches of rain or drizzle and mist with fog, while some areas might see some bright and sunny spells developing.

It will continue cloudy tonight as patches of mist and drizzle are set to remain.

Meanwhile, a band of rain will move down from the north above Ulster and north Connacht soon after midnight before gradually tracking south over the country overnight.

Temperatures will drop to 5 and 10 degrees, remaining the coldest in Ulster after the rain clears early on Saturday morning.

The weekend will have a damp start on Saturday across the southern half of the country with patchy rain and drizzle while further north might see drier weather with sunny spells and just a light shower.

Meanwhile, rain will clear from the south coast by Saturday afternoon, leaving a mixture of cloud and sunny spells across the country with just a few showers in Ulster.

The day will feel a bit fresher, with temperatures of 8 and 11 degrees in the afternoon.

A cold Saturday night will see clear conditions and just a few showers, mainly affecting north Ulster where the odd hail shower is possible.

Temperatures are set to drop to 1 and 4 degrees while it will be less cold in the Atlantic coastal margins.

Sunday is likely to be fresh and bright for most of the country, with spells of sunshine and just a few showers in northern and western coastal counties.

By the evening, the cloud will thicken from the Atlantic with rain developing on the northwest coast.

Temperatures will range between 7 and 10 degrees before dropping to 5 and 9 degrees overnight, as Sunday night will turn breezy with rain extending across the country.

Met Éireann said the next week will turn much colder as there is some uncertainty for Sunday night and Monday with a low-pressure system tracking near Ireland.

A spell of cold and wintry weather from Monday night onwards and throughout much of next week will arrive in the country, bringing frost, ice and some wintry showers.

The temperatures from Tuesday to Friday are set to drop below freezing, as overnight temperatures might range between 0 and -3 degrees, the national forecaster added.