Outlook

Wednesday night will be cold under largely clear skies. Minimum temperatures will drop away to between zero and 4 degrees Celsius leading to a touch of grass frost. Patches of mist and fog may form towards dawn in the near calm conditions. Thursday: Dry with sunny spells across much of the country on Thursday, once early mist and fog patches clear. The sunshine may turn a little hazy through the afternoon with an increase in high cloud. Top temperatures of 11 to 14 degrees in light southeast or variable breezes. Cloud will gradually thicken from the Atlantic on Thursday night, though a few clear spells will still occur over eastern and southern parts of the country. Outbreaks of rain and drizzle will develop overnight in Connacht, west Ulster and west Munster. Light southerly or variable breezes will increase fresh to strong along west and northwest coasts. Minimum temperatures 4 to 8 degrees Celsius. Friday: Often cloudy with occasional rain or drizzle, with the best of the drier and brighter intervals in the south and east. Top temperatures of 12 to 15 degrees in light to moderate southwesterly breezes. Weekend: Becoming milder this weekend, but with a good deal of cloud overall. Higher pressures over the south and southeast will ensure that the best of the drier and brighter weather will be in these areas, with dull and damp conditions with patchy rain and drizzle more prevalent further north and west. Daytime highs will range 14 to 18 degrees with a mild night signalled on Saturday night. Winds will be mainly light to moderate southwesterly in direction. Cooler but somewhat sunnier conditions than the weekend are signalled for early next week with winds turning around to the northwest.