Ireland is set for a period of drier, more settled weather from Sunday, following an exceptionally wet start to September.

The majority of Met Éireann’s synoptic stations have already recorded their average monthly rainfall in the first 17 days of the month.

Locations including Mace Head, Valentia, Sherkin Island, Shannon Airport, Gurteen, Athenry, Knock, Claremorris, Newport, Markree Castle, Ballyhaise, Johnstown Castle and Mount Dillon have all exceeded their typical September totals.

Meanwhile, Finner in Donegal has recorded more than 150 millimetres of rain so far this month, well above its average of 97.3 millimetres.

A final spell of heavy rain is expected across much of the eastern half of the country over the next 48 hours before the weather turns drier.

High pressure is expected to dominate Ireland’s weather during the working week, bringing more settled conditions. The recent mobile Atlantic weather pattern will give way to a predominantly easterly airflow, with moderate to fresh northeasterly winds becoming light easterly.

The risk of overnight frost will increase. This drier spell is likely to persist up to next weekend, although long-range forecasts suggest a divergence by the turn of the month as deep Atlantic lows approach while high pressure remains to the east or northeast.