Settled conditions to return after brief Atlantic incursion

Rainfall will affect all parts of Ireland during Friday and Saturday, but a good deal of dry weather will return from Sunday through midweek next week.

An area of high pressure, which has brought exceptionally dry conditions to Ireland over the past 10 days, will shift eastward over Scandinavia allowing Atlantic systems to extend over Ireland from the south.

All areas can expect rain during Friday with the heaviest rainfall over the western half of Ireland.

Scattered heavy showers leading to longer spells of rain in places will occur during Saturday but will clear from the west during the afternoon.

Rainfall totals of 30mm or more can be expected in parts of the south, west and Midlands from Friday morning to Saturday evening.

Totals will be lowest in east Ulster where up 5 to 10mm of rainfall is expected.

Temperatures will rise to between 13 to 15c during Friday but will dip sharply to between 6 and 8c in western counties during Saturday as rain clears.

It will feel bitterly cold here after moderate southeasterly winds switch north-westerly for the afternoon.

Temperatures will remain between 11 to 13c further east but will drop here too by late evening.

A ridge of high pressure will build from the Azores toward Ireland on Sunday introducing drier weather for the day.

Largely dry conditions will prevail up to Thursday of next week apart from a frontal system on Monday night bringing scattered outbreaks of rain.

Temperatures will be above the seasonal average, ranging from 10 to 14c.

Winds will shift from a north-westerly direction on Sunday to westerly during Monday and for the early days of next week.

Atlantic systems will once again attempt to move in over Ireland later next week.