Weather: Sunny spells and scattered showers

This morning there will be scattered showers and sunny spells. Cloud will increase later this morning and spells of rain will move eastwards across Ulster through the afternoon and evening, turning heavy at times. It will become breezy with fresh to strong southerly winds developing and highest afternoon temperatures will be between 7 and 10 degrees.

Rain will clear from east Ulster early tonight, then most areas will be dry apart from some scattered showers in the west. Southerly winds will ease for a time overnight, but will strengthen in the west towards morning. Lowest temperatures of 7 to 9 degrees.

Further spells of rain will move eastwards across Ulster tomorrow morning and afternoon, followed by scattered showers in the west. A breezy day with fresh and gusty southerly winds and highest afternoon temperatures of 9 to 11 degrees.

A good deal of dry weather is promised over the weekend, but turning more unsettled early next week with spells of rain.

Blustery showers will continue on Friday night, heaviest and most frequent in the west. Drier further east with long clear spells developing. It will be a breezy night with fresh and gusty southerly winds, with lowest temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees.

Saturday will remain breezy with blustery showers, mainly affecting western areas. Otherwise dry with sunny spells. Fresh and gusty southerly winds will continue and it will be a cooler day than Friday, with afternoon temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees.

Saturday night will see little change to our weather, with scattered showers continuing in the west and drier, clearer conditions elsewhere. Lowest temperatures of 4 to 6 degrees in moderate to fresh and gusty south to southwest winds.

Many areas will have a dry day with sunny spells on Sunday, although there will be further scattered showers in the west and northwest. Moderate to fresh southwesterly winds at first will ease through the day and it will be cool with afternoon temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees.

Early Sunday night there will be mostly dry and clear conditions, with showers in the northwest. Cloud will quickly increase though, and rain will move into the southwest, extending across the country overnight with some heavy falls likely in the west and south. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 5 degrees early in the night, with moderate to fresh southeasterly winds developing.

Monday is looking like a wet and breezy day, with widespread heavy rain across the country during the morning and early afternoon. Highest afternoon temperatures of 5 degrees in the northwest to 13 degrees in the southeast.

Further outlook: Staying unsettled until midweek with further spells of rain, but potentially turning more settled later in the week.