Ireland is in for washout weather over the coming days as rain, hail and sleet are due to batter the country with lowest temperatures of -1C.
This morning will be mostly cloudy with patchy drizzle and mist, but this afternoon will bring persistent rain in the west and northwest, spreading southeastwards through the late afternoon and evening.
The rain will be heaviest in the northwest and clearance to showers will follow later in the evening and fresh southwest winds will become northwesterly.
Wednesday will bring cold and windy conditions with sunny spells and occasional showers - some heavy or of hail.
Highest temperatures will range from 6 to 10 degrees, but will become colder through the afternoon and evening.
Wednesday night will be cold with showers of rain, hail or sleet, but they will mostly die out overnight.
Frost will develop in many areas overnight, especially over the eastern half of the country, with lowest temperatures of -1 to +3 degrees due.
Thursday morning will be dry with some sunshine and frost gradually clearing.
By the afternoon, rain will develop in the west and then spread across the country during the evening and overnight.
Heading into the weekend then, Friday will start off mainly dry.
Current indications suggest forecasts could change this weekend, but there are indications that it may become wet and windy through the afternoon and evening with rain and strong winds spreading eastwards, possibly falling as sleet in places.
Rain will be heaviest and winds strongest over the southern half of the country, with highest temperatures elsewhere between 5 and 8 degrees.
The Irish forecaster currently predicts that: “Saturday will be cold with sunshine and showers, some of hail. Highest temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees with moderate to fresh northwest winds. Frost will develop on Saturday night.
“Sunday will be cold and mainly dry with sunny spells. Highest temperatures of 3 to 8 degrees.”
