Unsettled weather but very mild for the time of year

Unsettled weather conditions over the coming days with frequent spells of rain, turning heavy at times. The latest weather bulletin from Met Éireann also forecasts breezy conditions and becoming very mild for the time of year too.

It is a wet start over much of the south and east this morning, but drier in the west and northwest with just a few showers. Some sunny spells will develop here also and this will gradually extend to all areas during this morning, as the rain clears eastwards. A further band of rain will push into the southwest towards evening. Highest temperatures of 6 to 10 degrees as moderate to fresh west to northwest winds gradually ease light and variable.

Tonight, as southeasterly winds freshen, rain in the southwest will extend to all areas, turning heavy at times with a risk of localised flooding. Winds will veer southwest to west towards morning further increasing fresh to strong and gusty over the southern half of the country brining some drier intervals to the south also. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 7 degrees, coldest in Ulster early in the night.

Wet and windy to start on Wednesday with rain in Ulster and north Leinster clearing northeastwards through the morning. Mostly cloudy, but showery conditions elsewhere will give way to some sunny spells in the afternoon. However, patchy outbreaks of rain will develop over the south once more during the evening. Very mild for the time of year, highest temperatures of 10 to 14 degrees, with fresh to strong westerly winds gradually easing.

Mostly cloudy with isolated patches of light rain or drizzle on Wednesday night. Staying mild with temperatures not falling below 8 to 12 degrees, in light to moderate southwest winds.

After a mostly dry but cloudy start on Thursday, rain will push up from the south across the country with some heavy falls bringing risks of localised flooding. Highest afternoon temperatures of 11 to 14 degrees in light to moderate southerly breezes freshening in the south later.

Breezy at first on Thursday night with fresh and gusty south to southwest winds. There will be widespread rain early in the night but drier and clearer conditions will gradually spread from the south and winds will ease mostly light too. Temperatures not falling below 7 to 11 degrees.

Friday (New Year's Eve): A mostly cloudy start with patchy outbreaks of rain in the west during the morning. These becoming more widespread by afternoon. Very mild with highest temperatures of 12 to 14 degrees, while moderate southerly winds will freshen later in the evening.

New Year's Day (Saturday) will start dry in the east, but wet and blustery conditions in the west will spread across the country with the rain becoming heavy at times in the southeast. A clearance to showers and some sunny spells will follow from the west during the afternoon. Another very mild day for the time of year with highest afternoon temperatures of 13 to 15 degrees as fresh southerly winds gradually moderate.

Sunday looks to be a drier and brighter day overall, though a little cooler. However, it will be short lived as early next week looks to become unsettled and quite mild for the time of year once again.