Ireland is set to enjoy a mini September sizzle with temperatures to reach around 20C later on this week.
It will be wet and windy on Wednesday, but conditions will improve on Thursday with strong sunny spells expected.
Heavy rain on Wednesday night will clear before a bright and pleasant start to Thursday.
A Met Eireann forecaster said: "Wednesday will be a windy and showery day with blustery northwesterly winds, reaching gale force along the Ulster coast.
"The showers will be heavy but there will also be good spells of sunshine, especially during the morning.
"Highs of 13 to 17 degrees."
"Dry in many places on Thursday and milder with sunny spells and afternoon highs of 16 to 19 or possibly 20 degrees but clouding over from the west later in the day. Winds will be mostly moderate and westerly.
"A band of persistent and locally heavy rain will move across the country on Thursday night but clearer weather will follow into northern counties later."
Friday will start with light rain showers but these are expected to clear early in the morning, making way for more sunny spells.
The forecaster added: "On Friday, early rain in the east will gradually clear as bright, cool, and blustery conditions move in from the north.
"The rain may be slow to clear southern parts of the country but elsewhere a mix of sunny spells and passing showers.
"Highs of 15 to 18 degrees in moderate to fresh northwest winds.
"Mainly dry Friday night with clear spells. Cloud will move into the west of the country later in the night bringing some spots of drizzle."
Looking ahead to the week it appears that rain may return in parts of the north and northwest, with drier conditions forecast further south.
