Rainfall across Ireland has been below average over the past week, according to Met Éireann.

Shannon Airport recorded the lowest total at 4.9mm, just a quarter of the weekly norm, while Claremorris in Co Mayo received 17.6mm, or 69 per cent of average.

The national weather service says conditions are set to change over the coming week, with rainfall totals expected to exceed normal levels across much of the country. Atlantic coastal counties are likely to be hardest hit with two to three times the typical weekly rainfall, while the southeast can expect around one and a half times the normal total.

Met Éireann reports that mean air temperatures have been below average over the past seven days, ranging from 10 degrees at Dublin Airport to 13 degrees at Valentia Observatory. Temperatures are expected to rise 2 to 3 degrees above average next week reaching 13 to 14 degrees. Soil temperatures, currently close to or slightly above average, are expected to remain steady or warm slightly.

Sunshine has been unusually plentiful, particularly in the northwest. Malin Head recorded 47 hours last week, almost double the seasonal average. The forecaster says the week ahead will see fewer sunny spells as unsettled weather becomes more widespread.