Ireland weather: Met Eireann five-day forecast pinpoints the one good day in horrid week as expert warns of cold snap

A weather expert has said that Ireland will need to get "the big jacket" out during the week, as Met Eireann's five-day forecast makes for brutal reading.

Wet and blustery conditions will start the week, before things take a turn for the chillier as we head towards the Bank Holiday weekend.

And while there is nothing sure for definite, it does appear that Bank Holiday Sunday will see heavy rain showers.

But before we get to that, we could see temperatures ranging from 3C all the way up to 20C.

Here's the five-day forecast from the boffins at Met Eireann.

Monday

"A damp start to Monday with outbreaks of rain gradually moving northeastwards across the country and clearing through the morning. It will become drier by afternoon with just well scattered patches of drizzle and mist.

"Staying cloudy overall but some bright spells will develop after the rain clears. Highest temperatures of 16 to 19 degrees, possibly touching 20 degrees, in moderate to fresh southerly winds, strong at times on western coasts."

Tuesday

"Tuesday will start wet and blustery with continued outbreaks of heavy rain. The rain will gradually clear to the northeast through the morning, followed from the west by a mix of scattered showers and sunny spells for the afternoon and evening. Highest temperatures remaining above average at 16 to 19 degrees in moderate to fresh south to southwest winds.

Cold weather will sweep across the country by midweek (Carlow Weather)

Wednesday

"Showery outbreaks of rain will continue to move northeastwards across the country on Wednesday morning before clearing to scattered showers and sunny spells in the afternoon. However, another spell of rain will develop in the southwest later in the afternoon and evening. Temperatures returning to around normal with highest temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees in moderate westerly winds."

Thursday

"A fresh and blustery day on Thursday with a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers, most frequent along northern and northwestern coasts. Highest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees in moderate to fresh and gusty northwest winds."

Friday

"A cloudier day on Friday but most areas will stay dry apart from a few well scattered light showers. Highest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees in a moderate westerly breeze"

And all of that has led weather expert Alan O'Reilly of Carlow Weather to urge the country to have "the big jacket" ready.