Ireland is in for widespread rain this Easter Sunday as thundery downpours are forecast in some areas and hail elsewhere.
Despite the rough weather ahead today, next week looks likely to see vast improvements with more sunny spells, higher temperatures and milder wind speeds.
Easter Sunday will start out cloudy with rain due over much of the country, moving eastwards as the day goes on - so some eastern parts will stay dry until later this morning.
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There will be a brief clearance to sunny spells but thundery showers are expected to follow from the west along with a chance of hail.
Highest temperatures will range from 11 to 14 degrees in light to moderate southerly winds “which will veer westerly through the afternoon and evening, freshening near Atlantic coasts.”
Monday will see quite the shift in conditions, starting off largely dry with sunny spells but blustery showers will feed in from the west and be heaviest and most frequent over the northern half of the country with a chance of hail.
The best of the afternoon sunshine will be over the southern half of the country and highest temperatures will be from 9 to 12 degrees in fresh and gusty west to southwest winds.
On Tuesday, early morning rain will fizzle out to leave a day of sunny spells and scattered showers but clouds will start to build in from the west during the afternoon.
Highest temperatures of 10 to 12 degrees are due with light westerly breezes gradually veering northwesterly.
There is some uncertainty in the forecast on Wednesday but a good deal of dry weather is expected for most with just a few spots of drizzle, the forecasters say.
However, there is a chance of patchy rain pushing in from the west and highest temperatures are a little lower between 9 and 13 degrees.
Thursday will then see a mix of sunny spells and scattered light showers for most but with the possibility of more persistent falls of rain in parts of Munster and west Connacht, which is due to be heavy at times.
Temperatures will rise to between 11 and 15 degrees, and will be coolest along eastern and southern coasts.
As for the end of the week, the Irish forecaster says: “Current indications suggest that there will be sunny spells and showers for Friday and the weekend but with good dry periods too.
“Highest temperatures generally ranging from 12 to 15 degrees.”
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